World Athletics Council Extends Ban On Russia And Belarus Over Ukraine Invasion

World Athletics has reaffirmed its ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes, with the sport’s governing body deciding there is still no basis to allow their return to international competition more than four years after sanctions were first imposed following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The decision was ratified by the World Athletics Council on Friday, despite recent moves by other sporting bodies to ease restrictions on athletes from the two nations.

World Athletics had already lifted its eight-year suspension of the Russian Athletics Federation over its state-sponsored doping scandal in 2023. However, athletes from Russia and Belarus have remained barred from international events under a separate set of sanctions linked to the war in Ukraine.

Seb Coe: No Progress Towards Peace

World Athletics president Seb Coe said the Council reviewed possible options before deciding the existing sanctions should remain in force.

“We presented options for the Council to consider on this matter, however the original decision remains on the sanctions that protect the integrity and fairness of our competitions, with no tangible movement towards peace negotiations having materialised,” Coe said.

The governing body also highlighted the continued impact of the conflict on Ukrainian athletics, noting that much of the country’s sporting infrastructure remains damaged and many athletes are still unable to train or compete under normal conditions.

IOC Takes A Different Path

The decision comes just two months after the International Olympic Committee lifted all restrictions on Belarusian athletes, paving the way for their return to international competition. Belarus has faced scrutiny throughout the conflict after its territory was used as a staging ground during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Earlier this year, a small number of Russian para athletes were also permitted to compete under the Russian flag at the Milano Cortina Winter Paralympics.

(with Reuters inputs)