IOC Asks Russian and Belarusian Athletes to be Banned

The board of the International Olympic Committee recommended that sports federations ban Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials from participating in competitions after Russia launched war against Ukraine.

The IOC said the board made the decision “to protect the integrity of global sporting events and for the safety of all participants” and that the institution acted “with a heavy heart”.

The Russian Olympic Committee disagreed with the IOC, saying the decision “contradicted both the IOC’s regulatory documents and the (Olympic) Statutes”.

The statement from the IOC came shortly before the Winter Paralympic Games kicked off in Beijing on Friday. The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has announced that it will meet to discuss the issue before the Games.

Following the IOC’s announcement, football governing bodies FIFA and UEFA also banned Russia’s national and club teams from all competitions until further notice.

Sports organizations around the world have already taken action against Russia, refusing to host or play against them.

Athletes from Ukraine and other countries urged the IOC and IPC to take a decision to immediately ban athletes from Russia and Belarus from events.

“The IOC refused to take action against Russia and Belarus,” Rob Koehler, Director-General of Global Athlete, told Reuters. used the phrases.

“Furthermore, the Paralympic Winter Olympics start within days, and the silence and inaction of the International Paralympic Committee tells us that they too are aligned with Russia and prefer Russian interests over the interests of the athletes.