Lithuania pushing for Olympics ban on Russian, Belarusian athletes

April 14, BPN. Allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete in neutral status would send a wrong message that not everyone sees both countries as aggressors, said Jurgita Šiugždinienė, Lithuania’s minister of education, science and sports.

Lifting the ban on sports competitions for Russia and Belarus would also strengthen their propaganda, she told the online meeting of sports ministers from the Baltic countries and Poland.

The ministers backed Lithuania in its intention to sign joint declarations against Russian and Belarusian athletes’ participation in international competitions.

It is impossible to speak of the neutrality of Russia and Belarus when Ukrainians are being murdered and war crimes continue, Šiugždinienė stressed. Lithuania will do everything possible to exclude Russian and Belarusian athletes from the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, she added.

Ministers also considered appealing to the broadcasters of the Olympics, the French government as well as asking international businesses to stop supporting international competitions involving participants from Russia and Belarus.

In February, the Baltic States and Poland along with 35 countries called on international sports federations and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from the Olympics and international competitions.

In late March, the IOC recommended the return of Belarusian and Russian athletes to international competitions in a neutral status. Wimbledon’s organizers, the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) and World Taekwondo said they are willing to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete.

Ukraine plans to ban its athletes from participating in competitions where Russian and Belarusian athletes are allowed.