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☆ Russia and Belarus boxers should compete, IBA president says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

March 3 (Reuters) - Russia and Belarus athletes should be able to compete under their flag, said International Boxing Association (IBA) President Umar Kremlev on Friday. The IBA lifted a ban on Russian and Belarusian boxers last October, against the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) guidance following Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24 last year. Each international association should have these standards," Kremlev told Reuters. "We, as an international association, must protect each athlete. Kremlev disciplinary actions targets USA Boxing CEO Mike McAtee, President of Boxing Canada Ryan O'Shea, Czech Boxing Association President Marek Simak, Swedish Boxing Association Chairman Per-Axel Sjoholm and Boxing New Zealand President Steve Hartley.

☆ RUSADA files CAS appeal seeking 'appropriate consequences' for Valieva
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Sport's highest court said on Friday that RUSADA had lodged an appeal seeking a ruling that would sanction Valieva after the disciplinary tribunal of Russia's anti-doping body had found the teenager not guilty of any doping infraction. In her defence, Valieva said the positive test was the result of a mix-up with her grandfather's heart medication. A RUSADA investigation released in January acknowledged that Valieva did fail a drug test but ruled that the teenager was not guilty of any doping infraction. "RUSADA seeks a ruling from CAS setting aside the challenged decision and finding the athlete to have committed an anti-doping rule violation under the RUSADA anti-doping rules, and sanctioned with 'the appropriate consequences' ...," CAS said in a statement. Despite the positive test, CAS cleared Valieva to continue competing at the Beijing Games in the women's singles, upholding an earlier decision by RUSADA to lift a ban on the skater.

☆ Ukraine joins world championship boycott over Russian, Belarusian inclusion
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Feb 23 (Reuters) - Ukraine's boxing federation (FBU) has joined a growing boycott of the amateur world championships over the inclusion of Russian and Belarusian boxers, who have been allowed to compete with national flags and anthems. Both competitions are organised by the International Boxing Association (IBA), led by Russian Umar Kremlev. The IBA lifted a ban on Russian and Belarusian boxers competing under their flags last October, against the International Olympic Committee's guidance following Russia's invasion of Ukraine a year ago, for which Belarus was a key staging area. "Our answer is clear - our athletes and representatives of the Boxing Federation of Ukraine do not compete where representatives of the aggressor countries, namely Russia and Belarus, will compete," Ilchenko said. Ukraine's boxers would also boycott next year's Olympic Games in Paris if Russian and Belarusian boxers are present, Ilchenko said.

☆ International Skating Union to appeal Valieva doping case to CAS
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Feb 22 (Reuters) - The International Skating Union will lodge an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in the case of figure skater Kamila Valieva after a Russian investigation found the teenager not guilty of any doping infraction, it said on Wednesday. The ISU said it is seeking a period of ineligibility at CAS's own discretion. "Additionally, CAS is to decide the consequences of the Anti-Doping Rule Violation committed by Kamila Valieva and determine the final results of the Figure Skating Team Event at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games." In her defence, Valieva said the positive test was the result of a mix-up with her grandfather's heart medication. During the Beijing Games, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided that no medals for the team figure skating event would be presented until Valieva's case had been resolved.

☆ Games cannot exclude and divide says IOC amid Russian athletes row
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BERLIN, Feb 22 (Reuters) - The Olympics cannot be divisive and exclude athletes, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Wednesday, defending its plan to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to qualify for the Paris 2024 summer Olympics. "The Olympic Games cannot prevent wars and conflicts. Nor can they address all the political and social challenges in our world," the IOC said in its statement. But the Olympic Games can set an example for a world where everyone respects the same rules and one another." The IOC remains committed to this mission to unite the entire world in peaceful competition to this day," the IOC said.

☆ Powerful Nations, Including the U.S., Oppose Russian Athletes’ Return to Olympics
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Louise Radnofsky | Rachel Bachman | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

A substantial group of governments, organized by the U.K. and including the U.S., has pushed back against the IOC’s plans to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete at the 2024 Games. Russian and Belarusian athletes should continue to be shut out of international sports events, including the Olympics, until there is a way to show they are competing independent of their governments, 34 powerful nations said in a statement signed by the U.K., the U.S. and France, the hosts of the 2024 Olympics. Russian and Belarusian athletes have been barred from major sporting events since the invasion of Ukraine, in an action taken by international sports federations at the behest of the International Olympic Committee a year ago. Russia had been banned from recent Olympics as a punishment over state-sponsored doping schemes that it denies, but its athletes were allowed to compete under banners such as “Russian Olympic Committee.”

☆ USA Boxing condemns IBA's 'misleading' 2024 Olympic qualifiers
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Feb 21 (Reuters) - The Russian-led International Boxing Association's (IBA's) announcement that its world championships are qualifiers for the 2024 Olympics is "false and misleading" and an attempt to sabotage qualification for the Paris Games, USA Boxing said. "USA Boxing condemns in the strongest possible terms this attempt by IBA to confuse boxers from around the world, knowing full well that IBA is not associated with the International Olympic Committee nor the IOC's published qualification system," McAtee said. At worst, USA Boxing believes this may be an attempt to sabotage the Olympic qualification for the Paris Olympic Games," the statement added. On Sunday, Switzerland and the Netherlands joined the United States, Ireland, Britain, Czech Republic, Sweden and Canada in boycotting the women's world championships to be held in New Delhi, India's capital, over March 15-26. Two world qualification tournaments are also planned for 2024.

☆ Australia aligned with other nations on Russia, Belarus athlete ban
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"The strong links and affiliations between Russian athletes and the Russian military are also of clear concern. Russian Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin said on Feb. 11 that calls from other countries to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from the Olympics were an "unacceptable" interference in the activities of independent sports bodies. Other international sports federations have allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete on a similar basis since last year's invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine has threatened to boycott the Paris Games if Russian and Belarusian athletes compete. The two statements by the 35 nations last year called for a ban on all Russian and Belarusian athletes from international competition.

☆ UK, 30 others vow support for ban on Russian, Belarusian athletes
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Feb 20 (Reuters) - More than 30 countries, including the United States, Britain and France, on Monday pledged their support for banning Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing in international sporting events, a British government statement said. Monday'sstatement follows recent proposals from the IOC which suggest a pathway is being explored to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to return to competition as neutrals, including at next year's Olympics. "There are serious concerns about how feasible it is for Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete on a neutral basis given they are directly funded and supported by their states," added the British government statement. Paris 2024 organisers insisted at the beginning of the month that they would abide by the IOC decision on Russian and Belarusian athletes' participation in the Games. He pointed out that 228 Ukrainian athletes and coaches died as a result of the Russian aggression.

☆ Australia to spend $5 bln on Brisbane Olympics venues
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] A view of the city skyline of Brisbane, expected to be announced as host for the 2032 Olympic Games, in Brisbane, Australia, July 4, 2021. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy/File PhotoSYDNEY, Feb 17 (Reuters) - The Australian federal government and the Queensland state government said on Friday they would spend a combined A$7.1 billion ($4.9 billion) to build new venues and refurbish existing ones ahead of the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane. This event is a great event for Queensland but it's great for Australia as well," Albanese said. Brisbane will become the third Australian city to host the Summer Olympics, after Melbourne in 1956 and Sydney in 2000. The event is expected to deliver A$8.1 billion in economic and social benefits to Queensland, and more than A$17.6 billion to Australia, Queensland state Deputy Premier Steven Miles said.

☆ World Athletics will address Russian doping before Ukraine - Coe
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, Feb 17 (Reuters) - World Athletics will look at the issue of Russian athletes competing while the Ukraine war continues only after it has been decided whether the country has cleaned up its act on doping sufficiently to be reinstated, Sebastian Coe said on Friday. The Russian Athletics Federation (RAF) has been banned from athletics since 2015 as a result of the country's widespread doping, although some athletes from Russia were allowed to compete at the last two Summer Olympics as neutrals. World Athletics President Coe said doping would still take precedence when the governing council meets next month to decide whether the RAF has made sufficient progress along its "road map" to warrant reinstatement. "It was decided by the council it was inconceivable that Russia athletes (could compete) ... International Federations such as World Athletics, however, have the final decision on which athletes are allowed to compete in qualifying events and at the Olympic Games.

☆ IOC not on wrong side of history over Russia, says Bach
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Feb 13 (Reuters) - International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach said his organisation is not on the wrong side of history after opening the door for Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in next year's Summer Games in Paris. Athletes from Russia and its neighbour Belarus have been banned from many international competitions in the wake of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine a year ago. In a letter to Bach last week, Ukrainian athletes said the IOC was "on the wrong side of history" after Bach had urged Ukraine to drop threats of a boycott. When asked if the IOC was on the wrong side of history, Bach told reporters on Sunday: "No, history will show who is doing more for peace. Bach, speaking at the Alpine skiing world championships in Courchevel, France, said the IOC stood in "solidarity" with Ukraine's athletes.

☆ Moscow says calls to ban Russian athletes from Olympics 'unacceptable'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MOSCOW, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Russian Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin said on Saturday that calls from ministers of more than 30 countries to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from the 2024 Olympics were unacceptable, TASS news agency reported. A group of 35 countries, including the United States, Germany and Australia, will demand that Russian and Belarusian athletes are banned from the 2024 Olympics, Lithuania's sports minister said on Friday, deepening the uncertainty over the Paris Games. The move cranks up the pressure on an International Olympic Committee (IOC) that is desperate to avoid the sporting event being torn asunder by the conflict unfolding in Ukraine. "This is a direct interference of ministers in the activities of independent international sports organizations, an attempt to dictate the conditions for the participation of athletes in international competitions, which is absolutely unacceptable," Matytsin was quoted as saying by TASS. The IOC has opened the door for Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals.

☆ 'Not so rosy': Russian athletes face prospect of Olympics ban
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] Olympic Rings are pictured in front of The Olympic House, headquarters of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at the opening of the executive board meeting of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), in Lausanne, Switzerland September 8, 2022. Since the International Olympic Committee (IOC) opened the door for Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals at the 2024 Paris Games, calls to have them excluded have snowballed. At an indoor track in northeastern Moscow on Friday, hurdler Sergey Shubenkov said he was avoiding reading the news about Russia's Olympic prospects. The measure was taken as part of wider sanctions against the Russian athletics federation, which has been suspended since 2015 over doping offences. "I think those who don't support (Russia's special military operation in Ukraine) have already left.

☆ IBA denounces 'hyenas' after U.S. and Irish boycott worlds
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Alan Baldwin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Feb 10 (Reuters) - Amateur boxing's Russian-led governing body has offered to fund U.S. and Irish boxers wanting to compete in this year's world championships after their national federations decided to boycott the tournaments. The International Boxing Association (IBA) also warned in a statement on Friday that it would pursue "strong sanctions against those who initiate and join the participation boycott". "Those who are doing this to our athletes are worse than hyenas and jackals, they violate the integrity of sport and culture. The Irish Athletic Boxing Association (IABA) said on Friday its boxers, referees and judges would be staying away. "IBA invites USA and Irish teams to come to the world championships and participate under their flags and anthems," it said.

☆ Olympics row deepens as 35 countries demand ban for Russia and Belarus
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Andrius Sytas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

With war raging in Ukraine, the Baltic States, Nordic countries and Poland had called on international sports bodies to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing in the Olympics. "At the same time, we know that 70 percent of Russian athletes are soldiers. He said that most participants had been in favour of an absolute exclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes. The IOC has opened the door for Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals. While Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of host city Paris, has said Russian athletes should not take part, Paris 2024 organisers have said they will abide by the IOC's decision on the issue.

☆ F1 will never gag any drivers, says Domenicali
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Formula One will never gag anyone, chief executive Stefano Domenicali has stated in response to a pre-season controversy between the governing FIA and drivers over 'political' statements and freedom of speech. read moreThe move has been condemned by rights groups and criticised by drivers, who have spoken of their unhappiness and uncertainty. read more read more read more"F1 will never put a gag on anyone," said Domenicali. "Everyone wants to talk so to have the platform to say what they want in the right way the better it is. "I believe the FIA will clarify what has been stated, in terms of respecting certain places where you cannot do it," said Domenicali.

☆ Nordic countries jointly oppose Russian, Belarusian sports participation
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 7 (Reuters) - The Nordic Olympic Committees wrote to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Tuesday to reiterate their opposition to Russian and Belarusian athletes being allowed to take part in international sports. The IOC said last month that athletes from Russia and Belarus might be allowed to earn slots for the Olympic Games in Paris next year through Asian qualifying. Tuesday's joint statement by the Nordic Olympic Committees, Paralympic Committees and sports confederations said they stood firm in their opposition to Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials being allowed to participate in international sports. "We, the Nordic Olympic and Paralympic Committees and Confederations of sports, take this opportunity to reaffirm our steadfast support once again with the Ukrainian people and the demand for peace," it said. Last week, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Poland called on international sports bodies to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing in the Olympics and other events while the war in Ukraine continues.

☆ Zelenskiy urges Olympic sponsors to keep Russia out of Games
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( Nick Starkov | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LVIV, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Ukraine has sent letters to companies that back the International Olympic Committee urging them to keep Russian athletes out of the Paris Olympic Games, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday. Zelenskiy has been spearheading a drive to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from participating in the games under a neutral flag. Zelenskiy has said their presence would normalise Russia's invasion of his country and make "terror" acceptable. "Ukraine has sent appropriate letters to the companies that provide the biggest support for the International Olympic Committee," Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address. "These are large international companies who clearly have an interest in ensuring that their reputation and support is not used for war propaganda."

☆ Ukraine’s Olympic Boycott Threat Ratchets Tension Over Participation of Russian Athletes
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( Louise Radnofsky | Rachel Bachman | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Team Ukraine during the athletes parade at the opening ceremony of the 2022 Beijing Olympics. Ukraine is threatening to boycott the 2024 Summer Olympics if Russian and Belarusian athletes are allowed to participate, ratcheting up pressure on key decision-makers weighing whether to keep the two countries in a pariah status. The Ukrainian Olympic Committee agreed at an extraordinary general assembly on Friday that a boycott is an option if the International Olympic Committee continues its bid to end the lockout of Russian and Belarusian competitors, which began with the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Ukrainian Olympic officials are set to make their decision in the coming months.

The Baltic nations and Poland earlier Thursday called on international sports bodies to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing in the Olympics and other events while the war in Ukraine continues. "Efforts to return Russian and Belarusian athletes to international sports competitions under the veil of neutrality legitimize political decisions and widespread propaganda of these countries," it added. They called on "all international sports organizations and federations" to remove Russian and Belarusian athletes from international competitions until the war ends. Latvia joined Kyiv on Wednesday in threatening to boycott the 2024 Olympics and qualifiers if Russian and Belarusian athletes are included while the war continues in Ukraine. The Paris Olympics will be held from July 26-Aug. 11 next year and the Paralympics from Aug. 28-Sept. 8.

☆ Ukraine's Elina Svitolina calls for ban on Russians and Belarusians
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Ukraine's sports minister said on Tuesday that his country was seeking to secure widespread international support for banning Russian and Belarusian athletes from 2024 Olympics because of the war. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has opened the door for Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals in Paris. They are the largest platform for inclusion and diversity in sports, capturing the attention of the world," Svitolina said in a statement on Twitter. "Their lives cannot continue as normal and the world, nor the Russian and Belarusian people, can be ignorant of the atrocities they are committing in Ukraine." Svitolina, married to fellow tennis player Gael Monfils, reached her career-high ranking of world number three in 2017 and has not played since giving birth to her first child last year.

☆ Analysis: IOC on spot over Russian presence at 2024 Olympics
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Karolos Grohmann | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Some 18 months before the competition is due to start, the IOC is desperate to calm the waters. "Currently within the IOC, there is a lot of attention now on the Ukraine issue and the Russian athletes and any opposition," an Olympic movement insider told Reuters on condition of anonymity. "A sports boycott serves nothing," IOC President Thomas Bach said on the 40th anniversary of the 1980 Moscow Games boycott by some Western states. The IOC, host city, and international federations would ultimately benefit if Russian participation was perceived as upholding the Games' universal and neutral character. The IOC had also called for a ban of Russian and Belarusian athletes in international competitions as part of "protective measures" given the volatile situation.

☆ Latvia would not send athletes to Olympics if Russia and Belarus included
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

VILNIUS, Feb 1 (Reuters) - Latvia would not send athletes to an Olympic Games that included Russian and Belarusian nationals while the invasion in Ukraine is ongoing, a spokesperson for the country's Olympic committee said on Wednesday. But the Paris Games is a year and half away. The Paris 2024 Olympics will be held from July 26-Aug. 11 and the Paralympics from Aug. 28-Sept. 8. Neither the Lithuanian nor Estonian National Olympic Committees are considering boycotts of Paris Olympics, their chairs told domestic media on Tuesday. Foreign ministers of the three countries and Poland on Tuesday agreed that Russian and Belarusian athletes in Olympics are "unacceptable" so long as the invasion continues, Latvian foreign minister Edgars Rinkevics said.

☆ Latvia threatens Olympic boycott if Russians compete
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The Latvian Olympic Committee is the first national Olympic body other than Ukraine which has threatened to boycott rather than compete against Russia. He broadened that position Wednesday by saying Latvia should boycott Olympic qualifying competitions, which are already under way in some sports, if Russians or Belarusians are allowed in. The Ukrainian National Olympic Committee has threatened to boycott and is due to hold talks Friday on the issue. Ukraine boycotted some sports competitions, including Olympic judo qualifiers, last year when Russians competed. Other national Olympic sports bodies, including the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, back the IOC efforts to find a path for Russians to compete.

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