Russian athletes were barred from all competitions by governing body World Athletics on Tuesday due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said: ‘The world is horrified by what Russia has done, aided and abetted by Belarus.
‘World leaders sought to avoid this invasion through diplomatic means but to no avail given Russia’s unswerving intention to invade Ukraine.’
The athletes will have their accreditation withdrawn and entries denied, as will any support personnel and officials.
Upcoming events include the World Athletics Championships Oregon22, the World Athletics Indoor Championships Belgrade22, and the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Muscat 22, which begin on Friday in Oman on March 4.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said unprecedented sanctions ‘appear to be the only peaceful way to disrupt and disable Russia’s current intentions and restore peace’
Coe added: ‘The unprecedented sanctions that are being imposed on Russia and Belarus by countries and industries all over the world appear to be the only peaceful way to disrupt and disable Russia’s current intentions and restore peace.
‘Anyone who knows me will understand that imposing sanctions on athletes because of the actions of their government goes against the grain.
‘I have railed against the practice of politicians targeting athletes and sport to make political points when other sectors continue about their business.
‘This is different as governments, business and other international organizations have imposed sanctions and measures against Russia across all sectors.
‘Sport has to step up and join these efforts to end this war and restore peace. We cannot and should not sit this one out.’
After the doping scandal first came to light in 2014, many Russian athletes were banned for participating in international sporting events.
However, many sports organizations continued to allow Russian athletes to compete as an ‘Authorized Neutral Athlete’ (ANA), a loophole that allows Russia to participate in many international events.
Any Russian athletes who have received ANA status for 2022 will now be excluded from World Athletics Series events for the foreseeable future, said the organization.
But in another development, MailOnline revealed Tuesday that Russian and Belarusian athletes could still be allowed to compete at the 2022 Winter Paralympics because its team is already in China for an event on Friday.
A Russian honor guard soldier salutes as Ukraine’s Oleksandra Kononova covers her gold medal with her hand after winning the women’s biathlon 12.5 km standing event during a medal ceremony at the 2014 Winter Paralympic
Jesper Pedersen of Team Norway competes during a training session for the Men’s Downhill Sitting ahead of the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympics at National Alpine Ski Centre on March 1, 2022 in Yanqing
Athlete skis during a Official Training Session at Zhangjiakou National Biathlon Centre on March 1, 2022 in Zhangjiakou
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) meets in Beijing tomorrow to decide whether to allow Russia and Belarus to participate, as Russian aggression towards Ukraine in the bloody conflict intensifies.
The IPC released International Olympic guidance on Monday which urged sports event organizers not allow the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes.
But the document may have provided a workaround.
The guidance goes on to say that, where it is not possible to ban participation ‘on short notice’, then Russian or Belarusian nationals can be accepted as neutral athletes, a similar loophole to the ANA categorization.
It is then up to the event organizer to determine the best course of action, according to the IPC.
China has so far walked a tightrope between condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and openly siding with NATO, but Chinese state media described a call on Tuesday where country’s foreign minister said he ‘deeply regrets’ the conflict to his Ukrainian counterpart, a show of solidarity.
Ukraine’s athletes have asked for both the Russian and Belarusian teams to be expelled in an open letter to Andrew Parsons, the IPC president, and Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee.
The move comes after FIFA and UEFA suspended Russia’s national football team from participating in international events, making it likely that the country will be unable to join in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Russia was scheduled to host Poland in a World Cup qualifying playoff on March 24, but if they remain suspended they will be unable to proceed into the finals to play at Qatar in November.
Poland, Sweden and the Czech Republic, countries which were in line to meet the Russian team on the football field, have all ruled out a match against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.
Russia has already qualified for the woman’s Euro 2022 tournament in England in July, but UEFA said a decision about the event would be made at a later date.
Santeri Kiiveri of Team Finland trains for the Men’s Downhill Standing ahead of the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympics at National Alpine Ski Centre on March 1, 2022 in Yanqing
The light show of the National Stadium in Olympic park during sunset on March 1, 2022 in Beijing
