International sports federations such as FIFA have been advised to bar Russian and Belarusian athletes and teams from their competitions amid the invasion of Ukraine.
The executive board of the International Olympic Committee issued a new statement on Monday afternoon saying athletes from those countries should not be invited to compete where logistically and legally possible, “in order to protect the integrity of global sports competitions and for the safety of all the participants”.
It is the strongest move taken yet by the international sports community to isolate Russia from global competition.
IOC Executive Board recommends no participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes and officialshttps://t.co/XZyLIi11XR
— IOC MEDIA (@iocmedia) February 28, 2022
FIFA has, for now at least, opted against expulsion of Russia from the men’s World Cup but the IOC recommendation would appear to give it a green light to do so. Football’s global governing body has been contacted for comment.
National football associations across Europe – including those of England, the Republic of Ireland, Scotland and Wales – have publicly stated they will not face a Russian team at any level until further notice. So too has the Polish FA, whose national team is due to face Russia in a World Cup qualification play-off semi-final next month.
UEFA is understood to be holding an executive committee meeting on Monday evening, where it may look again at whether Russian clubs or representative sides can compete in its competitions.
Spartak Moscow are in the last 16 of the Europa League, while Russia are due to compete in the Women’s Euros and the men’s Nations League this summer.
The IOC executive board has also withdrawn the Olympic Order – the highest award of the Olympic Movement – from members of the Russian government, including its president Vladimir Putin.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has had his Olympic Order award withdrawn by the IOC (Sergei Guneyev/PA)
It said where it was not possible to completely exclude Russian and Belarusian athletes, officials and teams due to organisational and legal constraints, they should not compete under the name Russia or Belarus.
The IOC statement acknowledged the specific difficulties facing the International Paralympic Committee, with the Winter Games due to officially open in Beijing on Friday with Russian athletes due to compete under the Russian Paralympic Committee banner.
The IOC accepts the IPC must “find its own way to effectively address the dilemma described above”.
The IPC has been contacted for comment.
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