LAUSANNE, May 16, 2022 - Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February attracted sanctions from numerous international sports organisations, with governing bodies either suspending Russian athletes and teams from competitions or stripping the country of its right to host international events.
Below is a list of sporting sanctions on Russia and Belarus, for assisting Russia in its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
Olympics: The Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on February 25 urged all International Sports Federations to relocate or cancel their sports events planned in Russia or Belarus, then three days later recommended that International Sports Federations and sports event organisers should not allow the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials in international competitions.
Paralympics: On March 3, the eve of the 2022 Winter Paralympics in Beijing, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) announced that Russian and Belarusian athletes won’t be allowed to compete in the Games after multiple teams threatened to boycott the event. The decision came less than a day after the IPC initially permitted athletes from both countries to compete as neutrals under the Paralympic flag and the Paralympic anthem.
FISU (University Sports): The Executive Committee of the International University Sports Federation (FISU) decided to postpone Ekaterinburg’s hosting rights for the 2023 FISU World University Games. Days earlier, on March 12, the FISU Steering Committee confirmed that Russian and Belarusian athletes, together with national university sports federation officials, will not participate in FISU competitions and activities until at least the end of 2022. Meanwhile the inaugural FISU University World Cup Combat Sports, scheduled for 2022, was withdrawn from Russia. FISU also withdrew the FISU University World Cup Powerlifting from Moscow, the FISU University World Cup Rugby Sevens from Kazan, and the FISU World University Championship Waterski & Wakeboard from Belarus.
Athletics: The World Athletics Council banned all athletes, personal support and officials from Russia and Belarus from competing in World Athletics Series events, including the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade, which took place in March, and the World Athletics Championships in Oregon, scheduled to begin on July 15. The council later imposed further sanctions on Belarus. They include; no hosting of any international or European athletics events, no representation at congress or in decisions which require congressional votes, no accreditation to attend any world athletics events and no involvement of federation personnel in any official World athletics development, or professional programmes. The Russian Athletics Federation has been suspended from World Athletics since 2015 due to doping violations.
Archery: Athletes, team officials and technical officials from Russia or Belarus are banned from participating in any international archery event until further notice. No Russian and Belarusian flags and anthems at international tournaments. No future events will be awarded to either country.
Badminton: The Badminton World Federation (BWF) cancelled tournaments in Russia and Belarus and also banned Russian and Belarusian players from international tournaments.
Baseball and softball: No Russian or Belarusian athletes or officials will be invited or allowed to participate in international competitions sanctioned by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC).
Basketball: The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) announced that Russian teams and officials “will not be allowed to participate in FIBA Basketball and 3x3 Basketball competitions until further notice”. As a result, Russia lost its place in the 12-team 2022 FIBA Women’s World Cup. FIBA Europe barred the participation of Russian teams and officials, including delegates, supervisors, referees etc. in FIBA Europe competitions until further notice and suspended the candidature of Russia for FIBA EuroBasket 2025.
Biathlon: All Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials are suspended from participating in International Biathlon Union events.
Canoeing: All athletes from Russia and Belarus will be suspended from competing at any International Canoe Federation (ICF) events.
Curling: The World Curling Federation (WCF) banned Russia from its championships for the rest of the season - from this year’s men’s, women’s, seniors, juniors, wheelchair and mixed doubles world championships. The WCF also relocated its European championships from Perm, Russia.
Cycling: The International Cycling Union (UCI) announced that Russian and Belarusian national teams “are not authorised to take part in any events”. Additionally, the teams with Russian or Belarusian nationality had their UCI Team status withdrawn and all events taking place in Russia or Belarus were withdrawn - five in total. The Russian and Belarusian National Championships are withdrawn from the UCI calendar and all of Russia’s and Belarus’ “emblems, names, acronyms, flags and anthems” are banned at UCI events. Russian and Belarusian athletes are allowed to participate in UCI events as neutrals as long as “they are registered with a UCI Team that is neither Russian nor Belarusian.”
Football: FIFA and UEFA announced in a joint statement on February 28 that they had suspended all Russian international and club teams from their competitions "until further notice." UEFA moved the Champions League final on May 28 to Paris from St Petersburg. On the international stage, Russia were banned from taking part in the playoffs for the 2022 World Cup.
Formula 1: Following an extraordinary meeting on March 1, the World Motor Sport Council announced a ban on competitions held in both Russia and Belarus and the prohibition of both countries' flags and anthems, “until further notice.” Russian and Belarusian drivers are allowed to compete under a neutral flag. Other measures included in the FIA statement's on March 1 were the temporary exclusion of Russian or Belarusian FIA members from their responsibilities and roles as elected officers or commissions' members and a ban on FIA grants to Russian or Belarusian members. Formula 1 terminated its contract with the Russian Grand Prix promoter, a week after cancelling the Russian Grand Prix in 2022, meaning Russia will no longer have a race in the future.
Gymnastics: The International Gymnastics Federation banned Russian and Belarusian athletes or officials, including judges, from participating in sanctioned competitions, indefinitely. All FIG events set to be hosted in Russia and Belarus were removed and neither country will be awarded new events.
Hockey: Russia was banned from the FIH Hockey Women's Junior World Cup which took place from April 1 to 12 in Potchefstroom, South Africa.
Ice Hockey: The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) suspended all international and club teams of Russia and Belarus at every age group from participating in its competitions or events. Russia was also stripped of its right to host the World Championship and World Junior Championship in 2023,
Judo: Russian President Vladimir Putin and oligarch Arkady Rotenberg were removed from all their positions at the International Judo Federation (IJF), the sport's governing body said in a statement on March 6. Earlier, the IJF cancelled all its competitions in Russia including the Kazan Grand Slam scheduled for 20-22 May 2022. The IJF however did not consider the sanctioning of all Russian athletes, regardless to be justified, hence "we will provide the Russian athletes with the opportunity to participate in IJF events only under the IJF flag, logo and anthem."
Pentathlon: World Pentathlon (UIPM) adopted the IOC Executive Board recommendation to not allow the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials in UIPM-sanctioned international competitions.
Rowing: World Rowing confirmed it will not allow Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials participate in any of its international competitions until further notice. The body also clarifiespointed out that it has no events scheduled to take place in Russia or Belarus in 2022.
Rugby: The national teams of Russia and Belarus are suspended from “all international rugby and cross-border club rugby activities until further notice”, according to World Rugby, which also suspended the membership of the Rugby Union of Russia.
Sailing: World Sailing barred all Russian athletes and officials from its international competitions. Where that is not possible due to “short time frames,” Russian and Belarusian athletes will participate “neutrally, without national symbols, colours, flags or anthems.”
Skating: The International Skating Union (ISU) suspended Russian and Belarusian skaters from participating in all international ice skating competitions.
Skiing: All the remaining FIS World Cup events scheduled to be held in Russia this season were cancelled and all Russian and Belarusian skiers suspended from competing in all FIS competitions.
Surfing: Athletes and officials from Russia are suspended from participating in International Surfing Association (ISA) events.
Swimming: The FINA Order awarded presented to Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2014 was withdrawn by the International Swimming Federation (FINA), while Russian or Belarusian nationals, be it as individuals or teams, can take part in international Aquatics events only as neutral athletes or neutral teams and their national symbols, colours, flags will not be displayed or anthems played.
Taekwondo: Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials are not permitted to compete at World Taekwondo events until further notice. On February 28, World Taekwondo stripped Russian President Vladimir Putin of his honorary black belt.
Tennis: The International Tennis Federation (ITF) released a statement on March 1 announcing “the immediate suspension of the Russian Tennis Federation (RTF) and Belarus Tennis Federation (BTF) from ITF membership and from participation in ITF international team competition until further notice”. All ITF competitions from both Russia and Belarus were cancelled. However, Russian and Belarusian players are still allowed to compete as individuals on both the ATP and WTA Tours and at grand slams, but not under the Russian or Belarusian flag “until further notice”. The WTA / ATP combined event scheduled for October in Moscow was suspended. Later the All England Lawn Tennis Club – venue for the Wimbledon Championships – decided to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing at the grass court grand slam event.
Triathlon: World Triathlon announced that Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials will not be allowed to participate “in all international competitions or official events”, adding that the decision will be reviewed on a monthly basis based on “how the situation evolves”.
Volleyball: Russia was stripped of hosting this year's men's Volleyball World Championship by the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB), while all Russian and Belarusian national teams, clubs and officials, including beach and snow volleyball athletes, were suspended from all events until further notice.
