More than 30 countries supported the ban on Russia’s participation in the Olympic Games
More than 30 countries supported the ban on the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in international competitions, Reuters reports with reference to the British government.
As stated in the joint statement, which was signed by the USA, France and Great Britain, the reason for this position was Russia’s aggression in Ukraine.
“There are serious concerns about how justified it is for Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete in a neutral status, given that they are directly financed and supported by their governments,” the statement said.
The document also states that athletes from Belarus and Russia can contribute to their return to the international sports community only after the war started by their countries has ended.
- In early February, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyi, called on Russian athletes to not be allowed to participate in the Olympic Games. The sports ministers of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland made a similar proposal.
- At the end of January, the IOC proposed that only those Russians and Belarusians who openly opposed the war in Ukraine be allowed to participate in international competitions under a neutral flag. But this proposal was not supported.
