Sports organisations that have discarded Russia
FIFA and UEFA
FIFA, soccer’s global governing body, announced last week that it was suspending all Russian teams, both national and club squads, from international competition until further notice. In a joint statement by FIFA and UEFA, which oversees the game in Europe, the groups said they hoped “the situation in Ukraine will improve significantly and rapidly so that football can again be a vector for unity and peace amongst people.”
UEFA joined FIFA in Monday’s announcement by announcing that Russian teams were suspended from international competition, including at the Champions League and the second-tier Europa League. UEFA had followed the same protocol as FIFA with Sunday’s sanctions barring the flag, anthem and name.
Spartak Moscow, a men’s team that had advanced to the round of 16 of the Europa League, is no longer eligible. Its opponent, RB Leipzig, will advance to the quarterfinals.
Last week, UEFA moved the Champions League final, the world’s biggest club match, from St. Petersburg to suburban Paris on May 28.
International Olympic Committee
The IOC’s executive board, in its recommendation to not allow Russian or Belarusian athletes and officials to participate, said in a statement that it was moving “to protect the integrity of global sports competitions and for the safety of all the participants.”
If that is not possible because of short notice, the IOC urged organizations to “do everything in their power to ensure that no athlete or sports official from Russia or Belarus be allowed to take part under the name of Russia or Belarus. Russian or Belarusian nationals, be it as individuals or teams, should be accepted only as neutral athletes or neutral teams. No national symbols, colors, flags or anthems should be displayed.”
FIVB
The world governing body for volleyball moved the men’s world championships, scheduled for Aug. 26 to Sept. 11. The event was to have been played in Moscow, with group matches in several cities around the country.
World Rugby
The Dublin-based governing body for rugby union, which says it comprises 128 national member federations, stated Monday that it was barring Russia and Belarus from all international and cross-border club play. In addition, Russia’s rugby union organization is suspended from World Rugby membership until further notice. World Rugby said it was taking action to “protect the rugby family and take a strong stance against the conflict.”
Formula One
Formula One cancelled the Grand Prix in Sochi as a result of Russian aggression. Formula One, motorsport’s governing body FIA, and the teams discussed the situation and came to the conclusion that it was “impossible to hold the Russian Grand Prix in the current circumstances. The race, which joined the calendar in 2014, was scheduled for Sept. 25 at Sochi’s Olympic Park.
World Athletics
The governing body of track and field, cross-country running, race walking, mountain running and ultra running, World Athletics announced that “all athletes, support personnel and officials from Russia and Belarus will be excluded from all World Athletics Series events for the foreseeable future, with immediate effect.”
Included in the upcoming events are the World Athletics Championships Oregon22, the World Athletics Indoor Championships Belgrade22 and the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Muscat22, which begin Friday in Oman.
“Anyone who knows me will understand that imposing sanctions on athletes because of the actions of their government goes against the grain,” said Sebastian Coe, the World Athletics president. “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.”
International Skating Union
The International Skating Union, which governs figure skating, synchronized skating, speedskating and short-track speedskating around the world, barred skaters from Russia and Belarus in a decision that affects the figure skating world championships this month.
Russian Olympic gold medalist Anna Shcherbakova and Kamila Valieva will not be allowed to compete in the event in Montpellier, France. Valieva, the 15-year-old who finished out of the running for a medal in the Olympics free skate, had been allowed to skate as her appeal of a positive drug test is considered.
More immediately, the speedskating world championships are set to begin Thursday in Norway.
WTA, ATP, ITF
The Women’s Tennis Association and the Association of Tennis Professionals jointly announced that they would “suspend” a combined tournament scheduled for October in Russia. The International Tennis Federation’s board suspended the membership of the two countries’ tennis federations and withdrew their entries from all ITF international team competition.
Players from Russia and Belarus will be allowed to compete in international tennis events on Tour and in the Grand Slam tournaments, but they will not be allowed to compete under the name or flag of Russia or Belarus.
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League announced Monday that it was suspending relationships with business partners in Russia, pausing Russian language social and digital sites and not considering Russia as a location for future events.
The league expressed sympathy for the NHL’s Russian players, saying, “We understand they and their families are being placed in an extremely difficult position.”
International Ice Hockey Federation
The IIHF suspended all Russian and Belarusian national and club teams from federation competitions of all ages. They also withdrew the hosting rights of the 2023 world junior championships from Russia upon urging from the hockey federations of Switzerland, Latvia and Finland.
The decision affects participation by Russia and Belarus in six IIHF events in 2022, including the men’s and women’s world championships and the men’s and women’s under-18 championships.
