34 Sport Ministers for continuation of Russian, Belarusian athletes ban

The ministers of sport from 34 countries on Monday stated that the International Olympic Committee (OIC) should not change its decision of 28 February 2022 concerning the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in international sports.

According to the ministers, the situation in Ukraine has deteriorated over the past year, said a press release issued by the Ministry of Education and Culture on Tuesday.

The statement followed a ministerial meeting chaired by the United Kingdom on 10 February 2023, which was attended by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The ministers reaffirmed their two previous collective statements of 8 March 2022 and 4 July 2022.

The proposal of the IOC of 25 January 2023 raised many questions and concerns among the ministers. The IOC’s proposal explores opportunities for Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in international competition as neutral athletes.

Because the situation in Ukraine has only worsened due to Russia’s war of aggression, which affects athletes in many ways too, the ministers see no practical reason to move away from the exclusion regime for Russian and Belarusian athletes set by the IOC a year ago, said the statement.

In their statement of 4 July 2022, the ministers recognised that Russian and Belarusian nationals could be allowed to compete as neutral individuals.

However, in Russia and Belarus sports and politics are closely intertwined, Olympic athletes are funded and supported by the states, and there are strong links between Russian athletes and the Russian military.

The ministers therefore consider that the IOC cannot use non-discrimination simply on the basis of nationality as its starting point.

As long as the IOC does not address these fundamental issues and the substantial lack of clarity and concrete detail on a ‘neutrality’ model, the ministers are of the opinion that Russian and Belarusian athletes should not be allowed to compete.

The ministers also note that Russia and Belarus have it in their own hands to pave the way for their athletes’ full return to the international sports community by ending the war they started.