Czech Republic bans Russian athletes from competing

The government of the Czech Republic has banned Russian athletes from participating in competitions on the territory of the country. Specialized federations proposed the initiative; the National Sports Agency supported the decision. The country also prohibited its athletes from competing in Russia, Sport.cz reports.

In addition, the Czech Olympic Committee opposed any form of participation of Russia and Belarus in the qualifying tournaments for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

The Ukrainian World Congress also calls for banning the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in the upcoming Olympic Games. Admission of athletes from the Russian Federation and Belarus will allow them to promote Russian prestige and achievements and spread Russian disinformation and propaganda, the UWC is convinced. 

“We are confident that the Olympic Games should not be used for whitewashing Russia’s genocidal war in Ukraine, for concealing its crimes against humanity, or for promoting the tolerance of war and destruction,” the letter from the UWC to the President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach reads.

Previously, on June 22, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe called on the International Olympic Committee to completely ban the participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus in the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris.