Russian players take a team photo before the friendly match between Russia and Iran at Azadi Stadium on March 23, 2023 in Tehran, Iran. (Photo by Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
International sports bodies are taking a different stance on allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes and teams to compete as the war in Ukraine continues.
With the Paris Olympics less than 500 days away, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said it wanted to continue the ban on the “flags, anthems, colors or other identification” of the two countries, but find a way to allow the athletes to compete. .
The strategy will be discussed again this week when the IOC executive board meets.
Here, AFP Sport looks at how sports are handling the dilemma.
Track
While World Athletics on Thursday lifted a ban on the Russian track and field federation for state-sponsored doping, athletes remain banned from competition as Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine continues. The president of the body Sebastian Coe said “unprecedented sanctions” imposed on Russia and Belarus by countries around the world “seems to be the only peaceful way to disrupt and kill Russia’s current intentions and restore peace”.
Tennis
Russian and Belarusian players are allowed to compete on the main ATP and WTA tours but do not wear their country’s flag or name. He was banned from Davis Cup and BJK Cup tournaments. Players from Russia and Belarus were also banned from Wimbledon last year, although Moscow-born Elena Rybakina, competing for Kazakhstan, won the women’s singles title.
football
Russia were kicked out of 2022 World Cup qualification and banned from Euro 2024 qualification which started this week. But Russia played a friendly in Iran.
Belarus is not banned from Euro qualification but must play home games at neutral venues while its clubs are still allowed to enter European tournaments.
Denis Rogachev, the head of the Russian Football Union, said that “negotiations are underway” to play in the Central Asian championship in June and that “the negotiation process is being carried out with UEFA and FIFA in stages”.
Gymnastics
The sport has yet to lift its ban on Russians and Belarusians, meaning neither can qualify for Paris or this year’s World Championships in October. The next opportunity for teams and individuals to book a place for the world, where the Olympic place will be up for grabs, is the European Championship in Turkey in April. Russia and Belarus were excluded from Tuesday’s European draw, the cut-off point for competition. A move to Asia could pave the way for the Olympics for Russia.
Fist
Russian fighters were allowed to compete in the new women’s world boxing championships in India, a move that prompted boycotts by countries including the United States, Ukraine, Canada, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
Formula one
Theoretically, drivers from Russia and Belarus could compete as “neutral” drivers in Formula One. But the only Russian driver, Nikita Mazepin, was dropped shortly before the start of the 2022 season by the Haas team. F1 also dropped the Sochi Grand Prix from the 2022 schedule, and canceled plans for the annual race to be held in St. Petersburg. Petersburg from this season.
Ice Hockey
Russia and the Soviet Union have won the seventh annual ice hockey world championship, but on Thursday the International Ice Hockey Federation banned them for a second year, saying it was “not yet safe to combine Russian and Belarusian teams”.
Fencing
With the Olympic qualification process about to begin, the International Fencing Federation decided on March 10 to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete, although the IOC said they could compete in Paris. German, Finnish and Swedish fencing bodies responded by canceling events they were due to host.
swim
Russia and Belarus were banned from the world championships in Budapest last June and July. Today, aquatic sports include those who play the waiting game. Governing body FINA told AFP in February: “At this time, there are no further updates on the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in the World Aquatics competition.” That means he is still banned from the world championships in Fukuoka in July, but the sport’s Olympic rules mean swimmers have until the end of next June to meet qualifying times.
© Agence France-Presse