update on all sanctions decided by international sports bodies

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The invasion of Ukraine by Russia on Thursday February 24 triggered a wave of reactions at the international level. From the support of athletes to the sanctions of the authorities, the world of sport has also been turned upside down. Faced with the gravity of the situation, many international federations reacted and took sanctions against the representatives of Russia, but also of Belarus, following the recommendation made by the International Olympic Committee on Monday, February 28.

IOC recommends exclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes

This is an unprecedented position taken by a reputedly cautious body. Just over a week after the Beijing Olympics and four days before the Paralympic Games (March 4-13 in Beijing), the International Olympic Committee on Monday recommended federations not to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete. A recommendation synonymous with the exclusion of athletes from these two countries involved in the invasion of Ukraine, even if the IOC was careful not to use this word.

“The Olympic Movement is united in its mission to contribute to peace through sport and to unite the world in peaceful competition beyond any political dispute.”underlines the IOC. A declaration which comes only three days after having already invited the international federations to abandon or replace the events planned on Russian soil. The International Paralympic Committee has not given its position on the presence of Russian and Belarusian athletes for the Paralympic Games which begin on Friday.

Football: Fifa and UEFA strike hard

Put back to the wall by the Polish, Swedish and Czech federations which refused to play their play-off match against Russia whatever the conditions or the place, Fifa and UEFA decided to exclude the Russian selection from the next Cup. of the world in Qatar at the end of the year. Russian clubs suffered the same fate for European competitions. A decision which concerns Spartak Moscow, which was to play in the round of 16 of the Europa League against Leipzig.

The Russian Federation, organizer of the last World Cup, said “Totally disagree with the decision of Fifa and Uefa to suspend the Russian teams” by denouncing a measure “discriminatory”. Like the IOC, Fifa had already taken interim measures earlier by forcing Russian footballers to play under a neutral banner and without a national anthem and prohibiting the selection and the clubs from hosting an international match. UEFA has also taken the decision to move the Champions League final, scheduled for Saint Petersburg, to the Stade de France.

Basketball: Russian clubs suspended in Euroleague and Eurocup

Again, everything was decided gradually. First of all, the Barcelona club went to the front line by refusing to travel for a match at the Zenit Saint Petersburg, the day of the invasion of Ukraine. The Euroleague then announced a postponement of the meeting, before that of all the matches involving a Russian team, three in number in this competition. Tony Parker, president of Asvel, had, for his part, assured that his club would not go to Russia.

The Euroleague ended up suspending the three Russian clubs involved in its competition. With, as a consequence, the pure and simple cancellation of all their remaining matches, but also of all those already played, for reasons of sporting fairness. The three Russian clubs were in the top 8, therefore in the race for the play-offs. Russian clubs are also excluded from the Eurocup, the second European level managed by the same company as the Euroleague.

Cycling: Russian and Belarusian teams excluded from the international calendar by the UCI

The International Cycling Union (UCI) announced on Tuesday March 1 in a statement its measures in response to the situation in Ukraine. Among the eight points announced, at the top of the list is the suspension of Russian and Belarusian national teams and selections from all events on the international calendar.

In total, six teams (three Russians, three Belarusians) were stripped of their UCI status. The Gazprom-Rusvelo team, spearhead of Russian cycling, recent winner on the UAE Tour, will no longer be able to race until further notice.

Figure skating: world championships without Russian or Belarusian athletes

Organized in Montpellier from March 21 to 27, the world figure skating championships will take place without the 18 initially qualified Russian athletes. The International Skating Union (ISU) announced their exclusion on Tuesday March 1, “according to the recommendations of the IOC”. The Russians, who gleaned five medals out of the twelve awarded in Beijing, were the favorites.

Rugby: Russia and Belarus suspended until further notice

Russia and Belarus were suspended from participating in international rugby on Tuesday”until further notice“by the world governing body, World Rugby. The executive committee of the international federation has decided”the full and immediate suspension of Russia and Belarus from all international rugby and cross-border club rugby activities until further notice”, and “the full and immediate suspension of the Russian Rugby Federation from its membership of World Rugby until further notice“, reads the press release.

Tennis: Russians and Belarusians excluded from the Davis Cup and the Billie Jean King Cup but authorized to play on the ATP and WTA circuits

Russia will not be able to defend their Billie Jean King Cup and Davis Cup titles. This is the result of a decision announced on Tuesday March 1 by the various world tennis authorities. A decision that also applies to Belarus. Likewise, the ATP and WTA tournaments in Moscow, scheduled for October, are suspended.

However, Belarusian and Russian players can, “for the moment” continue to play on the ATP and WTA circuits as well as on the Grand Slams. On the other hand, they will not play under the colors and the name of their country “until further notice”.

Volleyball: no World Cup in Russia, and exclusion of Russian and Belarusian players, clubs, national teams in Europe

It was the national selections that pushed the International Federation (FIVB) to act. Earvin Ngapeth had, via a tweet, launched hostilities by expressing his intention to boycott the competition if it was held in Russia.

The president of the French Federation then publicly announced that France would not go to Russia to participate in the Worlds during a Facebook Live. The International Volleyball Federation finally decided to withdraw the organization of the 2022 World Cup (August-September) from Russia on Tuesday, without announcing a new location for the moment.

In its wake, the European Volleyball Confederation has decided to exclude Russian and Belarusian teams, clubs, players and officials from all volleyball, beach volleyball and snow volleyball competitions. It also suspended all members of the two national federations from their European functions.

Athletics: Russian and Belarusian athletes banned from competitions

World Athletics, the international athletics federation announced on tuesday that russian and belarusian athletes are banned from all future competitions from this day for the foreseeable future and with immediate effect”.

They will therefore not be able to participate in the next Indoor Worlds in Belgrade (March 18 to 20), then outdoors in Eugene (Oregon) in July. World Athletics reserves the right to take “additional measures, including the suspension of the Belarusian federation“, because of the support given by Minsk to the Russian army.

Handball: Russian and Belarusian clubs and selections suspended

The European Handball Federation suspended Belarusian and Russian clubs from the Champions League and European League on Monday. As a direct consequence, Nantes sees its Tuesday match canceled against Chekhovskie Medvedi in the European League. Paris will also not be able to play its Champions League match against Ukrainian club Motor Zaporozhye, for other fairly obvious reasons.

The ban hits Belarus men’s club Meskhov Brest and Russian women’s clubs Rostov and CSKA Moscow in the Champions League hard. The women’s teams of the two countries will not be able to play the qualifying matches for the next European championship.

Hockey: the International Federation participates in “international sporting pressure”

The Olympic champions in Pyeongchang in 2018 as well as the Olympic vice-champions in Beijing in 2022 will not be able to participate in the next world championships. The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) took the decision to suspend the Russian and Belarusian national teams on Monday after recommendations from the IOC. IIHF President Luc Tardif explained to franceinfo: sport wanting to participate in “international sporting pressure”.

Ski: FIS cancels all competitions scheduled in Russia

After a gigantic snub and qualifications for ski-cross in Sunny Valley (Russia) which were held with only six Russian athletes due to the boycott of all the others, the International Ski Federation (FIS) decided on Friday to cancel the World Cup stages planned in Russia. Ski-cross, cross-country skiing and all the other disciplines governed by the FIS are therefore concerned.

Formula 1: the Sochi Grand Prix deprogrammed, the drivers authorized to race under a neutral flag

After Sebastian Vettel’s firm intention not to participate in the Sochi Grand Prix and Max Verstappen’s disapproval, the FIA ​​has urgently called together all team managers. The decision was taken as early as Thursday not to race in Russia “in the current circumstances“.

On Tuesday March 1, the FIA ​​made its point clear:Russian or Belarusian drivers will be able to participate under a neutral flag in competitions of the International Automobile Federation (FIA), the body announced on Tuesday, a decision which directly concerns Nikita Mazepin, the only Russian driver in Formula 1.


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