The FIL World Luge Federation failed in its own statutes with its measures against the Russian federation and now wants to enforce the sanctions in a different way. This was announced by the FIL on Monday after the association’s own court of arbitration had lifted all previously imposed measures for legal reasons.
“The members of the FIL executive, but also the majority of the member federations of the FIL cannot and do not want to behave neutrally with regard to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine,” the statement said.
Last Thursday, the arbitral tribunal found that the measures were not legally permissible due to the “political neutrality” anchored in the FIL statutes. The sanctions included a ban on Russian athletes and coaches participating in FIL events and a ban on Russian officials in the various commissions and working groups.
The FIL management will now look with the association’s legal committee for possibilities to “solve the unsatisfactory situation by changing the statutes”. This would have to be held by the regular FIL Congress on 18./19. June in Riga, Latvia, by a two-thirds majority. Since the next tobogganing season does not start until winter, the measures could still be implemented effectively in this way.
“It should also be possible in international sport to impose sanctions against sports associations and members of a country that demonstrates behavior contrary to international law that has been confirmed by a UN body or the IOC,” the FIL Executive announced. “An urgent appeal to Russia to end this cruel and unjustifiable war of aggression against Ukraine immediately.”