Ukraine’s Ministry of Sports has issued a decree banning its national sports teams from participating in Olympic, non-Olympic, and Paralympic events that include competitors from Russia and Belarus.
The decision, which was published on Friday, has been criticised by some Ukrainian athletes who fear it will harm the country’s sporting industry.
However, the Ukrainian government believes it is a necessary response to the International Olympic Committee’s recent decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals.
The IOC’s decision came despite Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February last year, which resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of millions.
The war, now in its 14th month, has levelled cities and left Ukraine on the brink of economic collapse.
Ukraine had previously warned its sports federations that it would strip them of their status as governing bodies if their athletes competed internationally with Russians and Belarusians.
The decree was signed by Deputy Sports Minister Matviy Bidnyi and was published on the ministry’s website overnight.
Some Ukrainian athletes, including Olympian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych, have criticised the ban, saying that it will harm Ukrainian sports.
Heraskevych wrote on Twitter, “If Ukrainian representatives are not present at competitions, then we completely vacate the international sports grounds and give the Russian/Belarusian representatives the opportunity to promote their narratives and propaganda.”
The IOC sanctioned Russia and Belarus, but in late March, it recommended allowing their athletes to compete as neutrals in international competition.
It also opened the door for them to qualify for next year’s Summer Olympics in Paris.
The Ukrainian government hopes that its ban will send a clear message to the IOC and the international community that it will not tolerate the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in international sporting events.
