MADRID, 28 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided on Monday to recommend to international sports federations and organizers of sporting events that they do not invite or allow the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in international competitions, the IOC announced in a statement.
“In order to protect the integrity of world sports competitions and the safety of all participants, the IOC Executive Committee recommends that international sports federations and organizers of sports events do not invite or allow the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in international competitions,” the agency said.
A decision that comes after the IOC “strongly condemned Russia’s breach of the Olympic Truce” and asked international federations to cancel or relocate their competitions in Russia and Belarus.
“The Olympic Movement is united in its mission to contribute to peace through sport and to unite the world in peaceful competition beyond all political disputes. The Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, World Championships and World Cups World and many other sporting events unite athletes from countries that are in confrontation and sometimes even at war,” the IOC reiterated on Monday.
Claiming fairness in its competitions, the organization insisted that the current war in Ukraine means that “many Ukrainian athletes cannot compete” due to the conflict, while Russians and Belarusians could continue to participate in sporting events.
Thus, after recommending that Russian and Belarusian athletes not participate, the IOC, whenever this is not possible for organizational or legal reasons, “strongly” urges international federations and organizers of sporting events to “do everything in its power to ensure that no Russian or Belarusian athlete can compete under the name of Russia or Belarus”.
“Russian or Belarusian citizens should be accepted only as neutral athletes or neutral teams. No symbols, colors, flags or national anthems should be displayed,” the statement added.
In addition, the IOC Executive Committee, based on the exceptional circumstances of the situation and considering the “extremely serious violation of the Olympic Truce”, made the decision to withdraw the Olympic Order Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation; Dmitry Chernyshenko, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation; and Dmitry Kozak, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office.
Finally, the IOC thanked the many messages of peace from athletes and members of the world Olympic community, especially those from Russian athletes. “The IOC is committed to continuing and strengthening its humanitarian assistance efforts. Therefore, it has established a solidarity fund,” the text concluded.