The Russian Athletics Federation expressed its dissatisfaction with the decision of the International Association of Athletics Federations (World Athletics) to maintain the ban on the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in international competitions, against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine.
On Friday, the International Federation announced the continuation of the sanctions imposed on Russia and Belarus, stressing that the decision will remain in effect in light of the lack of tangible progress in efforts to reach a peaceful settlement of the conflict.
The President of the International Federation, British Sebastian Coe, said that the Board of Directors reviewed the sanctions and studied several options, but concluded that it was necessary to maintain them in order to preserve the integrity and fairness of the competitions.
For its part, the Russian Federation described the decision as “discriminatory,” considering that it contradicts Olympic principles and current trends in global sports, and expressed its concern about depriving an entire generation of young athletes from competing in international competitions.
The International Federation indicated that it continues to support Ukrainian athletes through a fund established in 2022, stressing that the war still greatly affects their ability to train and participate in tournaments.
On the other hand, the International Olympic Committee recommended last May that Belarusian athletes be allowed to return to international competitions while the restrictions on Russia continued, while other sports federations, including the International Ski Federation, allowed the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes in a neutral manner, as of
