According to the will of the IOC, Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials should no longer be allowed to take part in international competitions.
The head of the International Olympic Committee made this recommendation to all world associations and organizers of sporting events. The background are the sanctions in the wake of the Ukraine war against Russia and its ally Belarus. In addition, the IOC recognized Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin and other top Russian politicians from the Olympic medals in gold that had been awarded to them in the past.
The Executive of the IOC made its decisions “with a heavy heart,” it said in a statement. Although the Olympic movement wants to be above all political conflicts, the war in Ukraine now puts them in a dilemma. Many Ukrainian athletes are unable to compete in sports because of the attack on their country, while Russians and Belarusians are still able to do so. Therefore, the decision was made to request the exclusion of athletes from Russia and Belarus in order to protect the integrity and security of the competitions.
Also DOSB for exclusion
Where this is not possible at short notice or for legal reasons, these athletes should not be allowed to participate with their flag or anthem, but as neutral athletes or teams. Shortly before, the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) had spoken out in favor of such a step.
Weikert: “International law has been blatantly broken”
DOSB President Thomas Weikert explained this to the sports show as follows: “Russia has blatantly broken international law. That is why sanctions are necessary in all areas of society and sport cannot be exempt from this.”