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Ukrainian Olympic Feds to sign appeal to IOC to ban Russia from Paris 2024


Published : 09 Mar 2023 09:06 PM

The heads of Ukrainian Olympic sports federations are to sign a joint appeal to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) calling for the continued absence of Russian and Belarusian athletes from the international sporting arena.

The signing is due to take place at the premises of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine in Kyiv tomorrow, with the federations expected to demand that the IOC keeps with its recommendations from February 2022, until the end of Russia and Belarus’ invasion of Ukraine.

President of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine and Minister of Youth and Sports in Ukraine VadymGuttsait is expected to outline at the event about decisions taken to avoid Ukrainian athletes participating in sporting events where Russian and Belarusian athletes are allowed.

Guttsait has sent a letter to the Ministers responsible for Sport of the European Union Member States and Council of Europe Member States, calling for a ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes from international sports events to remain.

In the letter, seen by insidethegames, Guttsait writes: "A year has passed since Russian troops, with the support of Belarus, invaded the territory of independent Ukraine violating the principles of the Olympic Truce.

"The decisions and recommendations taken by the IOC on February 28 2022 to prevent Russian and Belarusian athletes from participating in international competitions were logical and absolutely fair.

"Unfortunately nothing has changed during this year.

"The position of Ukraine is unchangeable. "The Russian and Belarusian athletes should be excluded from participation in international sport, in any status, including neutral, as long as this war lasts. "I call on you once again to support Ukraine’s position on the non-participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in international competitions, including the Olympic Games Paris 2024, in any status, as soon as this military aggression continues."

The IOC recommended in February 2022 that Russian and Belarusian athletes were banned from competing in international sporting events due to the two nations invasion in Ukraine.

The organisation’s stance appears to be changing as in recent months it has said it will "explore a pathway" for athletes from the nations to return to international sport, albeit under strict conditions of neutrality.