IOC urges curbs on Russia And Belarus

LONDON • As the Russian invasion of Ukraine intensifies, so have the sporting repercussions for the nation and its allies.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said yesterday its executive board had recommended that international sports federations ban Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials from competing in events.

It said it made the decision "in order to protect the integrity of global sports competitions and for the safety of all the participants".

The IOC also urged federations to ensure that no athlete or official from the two countries be allowed to take part under the name of Russia or Belarus.

Russian President Vladimir Putin was also stripped of the Olympic Order award by the body.

The Badminton World Federation yesterday cancelled all tournaments in Russia and Belarus with swimming's global governing body Fina on Sunday calling off the World Junior Swimming Championships scheduled to take place in Kazan in August.

European football's governing body Uefa is set to suspend Russian teams from all competitions, according to a report yesterday by German sports agency SID.

This would include the ongoing Europa League and the women's European Championship in July.

It comes after its decision last week to revoke St Petersburg's hosting rights for May's Champions League final.

While many sporting bodies have acted decisively, football's governing body Fifa has been slammed for its earlier response.

It said on Sunday that no international matches will be played in Russia and the Russian flag and anthem will be banned from the team's matches abroad.

However, a source with knowledge of the discussions told Reuters yesterday that Fifa is set to suspend Russia's national teams from international football until further notice.

Fifa is reportedly in talks with Uefa over the issue.

Virtually all of Russia's three prospective or scheduled opponents in the play-offs for November's World Cup in Qatar have refused to play Valeri Karpin's team.

They include Poland, whose football association (FA) president Cezary Kulesza called Fifa's measures "totally unacceptable", and Sweden, whose FA president Karl-Erik Nilsson highlighted his "displeasure" with Fifa's call.

In addition, the football chief of world champions France, Noel le Graet, led calls for Russia's World Cup expulsion, alongside British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

The uproar was the latest in a line of sporting reactions to the invasion of Ukraine, including Formula One canning September's Russian Grand Prix and boxing's four major bodies saying they will not sanction bouts in Russia.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) will meet tomorrow to discuss the issue ahead of the Beijing Winter Paralympics, which begin on Friday.

Meanwhile, Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is trying to help broker an end to the war in Ukraine, said his spokesman yesterday.

The Russian-Israeli billionaire handed "stewardship and care" of the English Premier League side to the club foundation's trustees on Saturday in a move aimed at protecting the Blues.

The request for his intervention was conveyed by Oscar-nominated Ukrainian film producer Alexander Rodnyansky.

The Jerusalem Post reported that Abramovich is in Belarus assisting in the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine to put an end to the conflict.

He has been widely reported to have ties to Mr Putin, although he has disputed this.

Under the President, he has served as governor of the remote Arctic region of Chukotka in Russia.

REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE