/>

Ukraine bans its national teams from competing with Russians and Belarusians

The decision, criticised by some Ukrainian athletes, comes after the International Olympic Committee angered Kyiv by paving the way for Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals despite Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Published : Apr 14, 2023 13:47 IST , CHENNAI - 1 MIN READ

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach speaking during an IOC executive board meeting which allowed Russian athletes to compete under neutral flags.
International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach speaking during an IOC executive board meeting which allowed Russian athletes to compete under neutral flags. | Photo Credit: AFP
infoIcon

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach speaking during an IOC executive board meeting which allowed Russian athletes to compete under neutral flags. | Photo Credit: AFP

Ukraine has banned its national sports teams from competing in Olympic, non-Olympic and Paralympic events that include competitors from Russia and Belarus, the sports ministry said in a decree published on Friday.

The decision, criticised by some Ukrainian athletes, comes after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) angered Kyiv by paving the way for Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals despite Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year, initially using its ally Belarus as a staging ground for troops driving towards Kyiv in what Russia called a “special military operation”.

The war, now in its 14 month, has killed tens of thousands, levelled cities and uprooted millions.

Ukraine had previously warned its sports federations that it would strip them of their status as governing bodies if their athletes competed on the international stage with Russians and Belarusians.

The decree published on the Sports Ministry’s website overnight was signed by Deputy Sports Minister Matviy Bidnyi.

Some Ukrainian athletes, including Olympian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych, criticised the ban saying it would lead to the destruction of Ukrainian sports.

“If Ukrainian representatives are not present at competitions, then we completely vacate the international sports grounds and give the Russian/Belarusian representatives the opportunity to promote their narratives and propaganda,” he wrote on Twitter.

The IOC sanctioned Russia and Belarus but in late March it recommended allowing their athletes to compete as neutrals in international competition. It also opened the door to allow them to qualify for next year’s Paris Olympics.

Sign in to unlock all user benefits
  • Get notified on top games and events
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign up / manage to our newsletters with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early bird access to discounts & offers to our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment