It will soon be a year since sanctions were imposed on Russia and Belarus by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) because of the armed attack on Ukraine. From that moment, athletes from these countries are not allowed to perform under their flags in international events, and additionally no event is organized in two countries. – Sanctions against Russian and Belarusian states and governments must and will remain in force – . Will it really be like this in 2023?
The IOC remains in solidarity with Ukraine, but is looking for opportunities to allow Russians and Belarusians to compete
The Executive Council of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) discussed solidarity with Ukraine, admitting Russians and Belarusians to the competitions, and sanctions for athletes from these countries. The IOC announced that it wanted athletes from Russia and Belarus to be allowed to compete at the Olympic Games. “No athlete should be barred from competition simply because of his or her passport. A pathway to allow athletes to compete under certain conditions should therefore be further explored,” the release reads.
What does the IOC mean? The idea is to allow athletes from these countries to compete under the condition that they perform under a neutral flag, so that they will not be able to fully represent their country or any other organization. “Only athletes who fully respect the principles of the Olympic Charter would take part in the competition,” added the federation. It has e.g. mean that players who actively supported the war in Ukraine will be excluded. At the same time, the IOC “appreciated” the offer from Asia, which would give athletes from Russia and Belarus the opportunity to compete in these competitions.
At the same time, the IOC called on other sports federations to strengthen sanctions against Russia and Belarus. “No government official from these countries should be invited or accredited to any international event. No flag, anthem, colors or other identification of Russia and/or Belarus will be displayed at any sporting event. The lack of international sporting events organized or supported by Russia or Belarus will be preserved, we read.
The International Olympic Committee remains in solidarity with Ukraine and appeals to “encourage federations to make efforts to facilitate the training, preparation and participation of Ukrainian athletes in international sporting events.” The aim of these activities is for Ukraine to be strongly represented at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris and at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo.
Source: Sport
Tristin is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his in-depth and engaging writing on sports. He currently works as a writer at 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the sports industry.
