Mykolaiv freestyler Abramenko auctioned two Olympic medals — the funds will go to help Ukrainians

Oleksandr Abramenko at the Olympics in Beijing, 2022

Two Olympic medals of Mykolaiv freestyler Oleksandr Abramenko are on display at a charity auction.

Lots with his gold from PyeongChang 2018 and Beijing 2022 are posted on the SCP Auctions website and will be accepted until December 2, writes NBC Sports.

In a conversation with the publication, the athlete says that the sale of medals is due to the need to help his native country in a difficult period, although the decision was difficult for him.

— Putting the medals up for auction was not an easy decision. They are really very valuable for me and for the sports history of Ukraine. Like any Ukrainian, I help the military in their urgent needs through volunteers. In addition, many people have been affected by the war, some have lost everything and are also in need of financial assistance. That's why I decided that my medals will come in handy and bring our victory closer, said Oleksandr Abramenko.

The minimum bet for a medal for first place is 10,000 dollars, for second — 5,000 dollars.

It is worth noting that the athlete won the «silver» in China a month before the full-scale invasion. He then dedicated this victory to Ukraine.

This is not the first time that Ukrainian athletes sell awards to send funds to help the army or civilians who suffered during hostilities. Earlier, wrestler Zhan Beleniuk sold his only gold medal from the Olympics in Tokyo.

We will remind, at the auction on the eBay platform, a Barbie doll from the company Mattel, which was created in honor of Ukrainian fencer Olha Harlan, was sold for $10,400.