Over 30 countries support ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes in international sporting events
More than 30 countries, including the United Kingdom, United States, France and Germany, have pledged their ongoing support for a ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes competing in international sporting competitions as long as the war in Ukraine continues.
Governments of 34 countries released a joint statement as the International Olympic Committee is “exploring a pathway” for Russians and Belarusians to compete as neutrals at the Olympics 2024.
“We firmly believe that, given there has been no change in the situation regarding the Russian aggression in Ukraine, and as an imperative for fairness and solidarity towards the Ukrainian athletes whose facilities have been destroyed and who have had to leave their country (or stay to fight for the defense of Ukraine in which very many have lost their lives), there is no practical reason to move away from the exclusion regime for Russian and Belarusian athletes set by the IOC in their statement of February 28, 2022,” the joint statement reads.
