The year 2022 has not yet completed its first quarter, but it is already over for the vast majority of Russian and Belarusian athletes. They can store their outfits and travel bags. The international sports movement no longer wants to see them show up at its events.
Since Monday February 28 and the “ recommendation » from the IOC Executive Board to federations and event organizers to ban Russian athletes, international bodies are announcing one after the other the nature of their sanctions. They often turn out to be very radical. And primarily aimed at athletes.
World Athletics announced on Tuesday March 1 the exclusion of Russian and Belarusian competitors. For the former, whose federation (RusAF) has been suspended since November 2015, the status of neutrality is therefore no longer an option. No Russian athlete will participate in the two major events of the season, the indoor World Championships in Belgrade (March 18-20) and the outdoor world championships in Eugene, Oregon (United States), next July. For this second competition, World Athletics had initially authorized the participation of a maximum of 20 Russian athletes.
The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) adopts the same attitude. It announced the exclusion of Russian teams from all its competitions.
Identical position for World Rugby, ISU (skating), BWF (badminton), World Triathlon and ICF (canoeing). World Rowing also followed suit. The rowing body announced on Tuesday March 1 the exclusion of rowers, but also Russian and Belarusian officials, from its competitions. It also specifies that no international competition will be organized in these two countries in 2022.
In another camp, a little more moderate, are the UCI, FINA and ITF. The three international bodies announced their share of sanctions, but without completely closing the door to Russian and Belarusian athletes.
The International Cycling Union has decided that Russian and Belarusian national teams and/or selections are not authorized to participate, with immediate effect, in any events on the international calendar. UCI team status is withdrawn from all teams from these two countries, including Gazprom/RusVelo, the only Russian team in the professional peloton. Finally, all Russian and Belarusian events are removed from the 2022 international calendar, as well as the national championships of the two countries.
But the UCI also explains that Russian and Belarusian licensees are authorized to participate in events on the international calendar with their respective teams “ as long as they are registered with a non-Russian or Belarusian team”. They can also participate in competitions when individual registration is authorized.
The International Tennis Federation has also chosen a middle position. Russia is excluded from the Davis Cup and the Billie Jean King Cup (formerly Fed Cup). But Russian players, including world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev, are allowed to play in ATP and WTA tournaments.
The International Swimming Federation (FINA) has canceled all its competitions on Russian soil. But it does not close the door to Russian and Belarusian swimmers. They will be able to participate in competitions under a neutral banner. The International Fencing Federation (FIE) is in the same camp. Russian fencers are authorized to take part in international events, but under the guise of neutrality.
At this stage of the conflict, a handful of international bodies have not yet publicly announced the nature of the sanctions that could hit the athletes. Among them, three sports where Russia has a certain weight, politically and/or sportingly: gymnastics (FIG), judo (IJF) and boxing (IBA).
The IOC, for its part, does not put Russian athletes and officials in the same basket. Odd. Despite its call to exclude Russian athletes from competitions, the Olympic body does not sanction its four members from Russia.
Shamil Tarpishchev, who joined the IOC in 1994, and former pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva, member of the Athletes' Commission since the Rio 2016 Games, are still there. The two Russian honorary members, Vitaly Smirnov and former swimmer Alexander Popov, also retain their positions. Difficult to understand.
