Sweden, Denmark and Norway called for Russia’s complete ban from global sporting events on Saturday, in response to the war in Ukraine.
“The most important thing is that Russian aggression stops,” said Sweden’s sports minister Anders Ygeman. “If the EU decides on a sports boycott, that would also help.”
The National Olympic Committees from Denmark and Norway spoke up. Sport must participate in the sanctions, said Hans Natorp, chairman of the Danish umbrella organization: “Russia’s attack on the Ukrainian people is unacceptable, our position is clear: Russia and Belarus must be excluded from all sports.”
All Danish associations and clubs will also be urged to cut all sporting connections to Russia and Belarus.
The Norwegian NOC also wants to exclude Russian and Belarusian sports. “Athletes from the two countries should not take part in international sporting events,” the statement said. Russians and Belarusians who hold leading positions in international associations are also to be banned.
The Scandinavians go much further than the International Olympic Committee (IOC). On Friday, this had asked the international associations to postpone or cancel planned sporting events in Russia or Belarus.