The World of Competitive Sports Weighs In

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"The IOC has received a lot of support. It is very encouraged by the fact that the vast majority of the international community understands the challenging situation for sport and supports its values-based course of action. This has been expressed by many statements from political leaders at the level of the United Nations, intergovernmental organizations and heads of state and government."

"Just recently, in May 2023, the Group of Seven [G7] Leaders expressed support in a statement at their summit in Hiroshima/Japan. Early in July, the Non-Aligned Movement, chaired by Azerbaijan, which includes 120 of the 193 UN Member States, also declared its support."

"The G7 statement says that the G7 are “fully respecting the autonomy of sporting organizations” and want to ensure that “Russian and Belarusian athletes are in no way appearing as representatives of their states”. This is fully aligned with the position of the IOC in this respect."

International Olympic Committee

Sport officials remain split on whether to permit Russian athletes to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Governing bodies have taken to permitting Russian athletes to participate in Olympic qualifying competitions, but as neutral competitors only, dispensing with national flags or anthems, after most sports following Russia's invasion of Ukraine barred Russian competitors. The IOC has not itself decided whether Russian and Belarus athletes can compete at the Paris Games.

For the in-house sport of boxing, the IOC remains uncertain enough to delay action. Most sports allowing Russians to return have followed IOC advice to refer to them as "individual neutral athletes", continuing to bar those under contract with the military or who have publicly supported the war. Another recommendation of the IOC is to block Russia from team sports such as soccer or basketball.

The IOC has recommended that all athletes that serve in the Russian or Belarusian armed forces, such as Sofya Velikaya, should be banned from international competition   Getty Images

Understandably, Ukraine remains fiercely opposed to any Russians being allowed to compete. Ukrainian athletes and national teams are boycotting competitions where Russians are permitted to return. A government decree was issued last April in Ukraine. In search of pro-war posts by Russian athletes, activists from Ukraine have been trawling social media for evidence of support of the Russian invasion to help disqualify such athletes from competing.

The World Athletics Council excluded athletes from Russia and Belarus from competition following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, stating their decision will remain in place "for the foreseeable future", reflecting a March vote of the World Athletics Council. World Aquatics on the other hand has stated it finds favour in allowing Russia and Belarus to return to swimming, diving, water polo, artistic swimming and has set up a task force expected to produce a report in late July. 

 

Men's and women's tennis tours sought not to exclude Russian or Belarusian players after the invasion, fining tournaments that did decide to impose restrictions.While Ukrainian players continued competing in tournaments, most refuse to shake hands with Russians or Belarusians. However, Russians and Belarusian players cannot enter national team competitions while the International Tennis Federation has not committed to a final decision on the Olympics, awaiting the qualifying June 2024 world rankings.

From early 2024, gymnasts from Russia and Belarus will be permitted to participate as "individual neutral athletes", even though Russian gymnasts have been among the most vocal supporters of the war. The IOC runs Olympic boxing in Paris and in-house qualifiers following a feud of long standing with the International Boxing Association and its Russian president. Host nation Poland of the June European Games refused to allow Russian athletes.

Ukraine boycotted the world championships in judo and taekwondo after Russians were allowed to compete. The "neutral" delegation of Russian athletes in judo included some athletes previously identified by the Defence Ministry as holding military ranks. The International Judo Federation said all Russian competitors were employed at a state sports training facility and had opposed excluding any Russian competitors.

Since the IOC remains firm on excluding Russia from team sports with no Olympic sport defying that regulation yet, it remains unlikely that Russian teams will be competing in soccer, volleyball, basketball or handball at the Paris Olympics. A ban on "team events in individual sports" such as relay races or the team all-around in gymnastics also comes under a recommended ban by the IOC.

After the Russian weightlifting team refused to sign a waiver accepting the conditions for "neutral" status that included a promise to "continue to abstain from expressing any support to the war", Russia boycotted weightlifting events, while Belarusian athletes signed and are competing. 

 

Some sports like archery have delayed their decision-making, while canoeing is planning to allow Russians back in some Olympic qualifiers. Rowing will permit only single sculls and pairs, while no larger Russian crews will be allowed to take part.

 

The IOC has recommended that International Federations and event organisers suspend athletes that publicly support Russia's war against Ukraine  YouTube

"In an event of any athlete failing to respect the strict conditions of participation, the International Federation and sports event organizers concerned should immediately remove them from the competition and suspend them from any further competitions."

"You will see here that with this criteria we are trying to address the point of any athletes making statements related to the war."

IOC director for the athletes department Kaveh Mehrabi