The Ukrainian national team has officially been banned from participating in competitions where athletes from Russia or Belarus will be present.
The relevant order has been published on the website of the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine.
In particular, the ministry ordered sports departments to ensure the recall of official delegations in case Ukrainian athletes are scheduled to participate in events with Russian or Belarusian athletes. In case such facts are discovered, the ministry should provide for the return of the participants of these official delegations to the territory of Ukraine or to the places where they were sent from.
The department also recommended that all-Ukrainian sports federations monitor the possible participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in international sports events and promptly inform the ministry in case of detection.
From the order, it follows that in case of its violation, sports federations may be deprived of their status as national ones.
It should be noted that the International Olympic Committee has eased restrictions for Russian and Belarusian athletes. The IOC Executive Board was unable to bring Russian and Belarusian athletes back to the Olympic Games, but approved a series of recommendations for sports federations regarding selective participation of local athletes in competitions.
However, as Minister of Youth and Sports Vadym Gutzeit stated, Ukraine is not yet planning to boycott the 2024 Olympics. The efforts of the NOC are aimed at preventing Russian and Belarusian athletes from participating in international competitions.
Photo: Open sources
