Russia gradually is reinstated to international sports as federations lift restrictions

Russia has for the second time in a week had restrictions lifted on its athletes, including from Belarus that allow them to compete under their national flags, reports Ukrainian online weekly newspaper Dzerkalo Tyzhnia.

The decision comes from the International Sambo Federation (FIAS), which removed all limits and now permits Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in tournaments under their own flags, without using a neutral status.

Since 2022 when Russia launched a full-blown invasion of Ukraine, unlike many other international sports organizations, FIAS had allowed athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete only under a neutral status, citing the belief that sports should remain separate from politics, according to the federation’s website.

“Sport is a bridge for dialogue and mutual understanding between peoples, even in difficult times. We have continued this course, first by reinstating national symbols for juniors, and now for all athletes. This decision returns the situation to the legal framework based on equal rights for all members of our federation,” said FIAS president Vasily Shestakov.

Starting on Jan. 1, athletes from Russia and Belarus will be able to compete in international tournaments under their own flags and national anthems.

Dzerkalo Tyzhnia notes that the 72-year-old Shestakov, a member of the pro-Putin Russian party United Russia, has controlled all FIAS activities since 2009.

On Nov. 27, the International Judo Federation announced a similar removal of all sanctions against Russian athletes. Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin is noted for his love of the martial art. 

The Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) condemns FIAS’s decision and stresses that allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to fully participate in international competitions effectively legitimizes the propaganda of the aggressor states.

Sport cannot be “apolitical” while Russia continues its war against Ukraine and uses sports as a tool for influence and manipulation. Such decisions by international federations ignore the crimes of the aggressor and undermine global efforts to hold Russia accountable for its war mongering.