The United Kingdom will continue to support a ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes in international sporting events, including at next year’s Olympics, the culture secretary, Lucy Frazer, has said.
The International Olympic Committee announced last month that it was “exploring a pathway” for athletes from the two nations to compete as neutrals in qualification events for the Paris Games having called on federations to exclude them following the invasion of Ukraine, the first anniversary of which is this week.
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But more than 30 nations, including the UK, the United States, France and Germany, have pledged their support for the ban to stay in place while the war continues. Frazer, who chaired a meeting earlier this month of ministers from countries united in wanting the ban to remain, believes the IOC’s plans are “not credible” and has urged the governing body to reconsider its position.
“We agree that [Russia’s president, Vladimir] Putin cannot use sport to legitimise his actions on the world stage,” Frazer said in a statement. “This coalition of nations has supported Ukraine on multiple fronts and we will continue to do so. Today we are setting out our serious concerns with the International Olympic Committee’s plans which could see a route back into elite athletics for Russia and Belarus. Any plans to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in Paris are not credible.
“With the prospect of tanks from the United Kingdom, United States and European partners arriving in Ukraine over the coming weeks, and President [Volodymyr] Zelensky [of Ukraine] expressing serious concerns that a spring offensive by Russia is imminent, we urge the IOC to reconsider its position.”
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, made clear last month his belief that Russian athletes have “no place” at the Paris Olympics, which begin on 26 July and lasts until 11 August 2024, with Ukraine’s sports minister, Vadym Guttsait, suggesting his country could boycott the Games if Russian athletes are allowed to compete, even as neutrals.
His Russian counterpart, Oleg Matytsin, has described a ban on athletes from Russia as unacceptable.
