The World Athletics Federation has confirmed its decision to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from international competition, four years after initially imposing sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine, Reuters reported, BTA reported.
World Athletics voted to end the eight-year doping ban imposed on the Russian Athletics Federation, imposed in 2023, but upheld the ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes over the invasion of Ukraine.
“We have presented options for the Council to consider on this issue, but the initial decision remains for sanctions that protect the integrity and fairness of our competitions, without tangible movement towards peace talks“, World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said in a statement.
The announcement comes two months after the International Olympic Committee lifted all restrictions on Belarusian athletes, clearing the way for their return to international competition.
Several Russian paraathletes were awarded spots to compete under their flag at the Winter Paralympics in Milan Cortina earlier this year.
World Athletics also cited damage to athletics infrastructure in Ukraine in a statement on Friday, saying that the ability of Ukraine and its athletes to train and compete remains severely compromised.