As Russia continues its invasion of Ukraine, various international sports organizations have begun imposing sanctions on the country and its athletes.
Below, we take a look at the governing bodies that have so far either suspended Russian teams from competitions or stripped the country of its right to host events.
Paralympics
Russian and Belarusian athletes were not allowed to compete at the 2022 Winter Paralympics in Beijing after multiple teams threatened not to compete at the Games, according to the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).
The decision came less than a day after the IPC initially permitted athletes from both countries to compete as neutrals under the Paralympic flag and the Paralympic anthem.
IPC President Andrew Parsons said on March 2 that Russian athletes should not be viewed as “aggressors” and that the organization’s governing board didn’t have the authority to ban athletes outright as a result of its constitution.
In an abrupt U-turn, the IPC said in a statement on March 3 that multiple National Paralympic committees (NPCs), teams and athletes had threatend not to compete and that the situation in the athlete villages “is escalating […] and ensuring the safety of athletes has become untenable.”
“By no fault of its own the war has now come to these Games and behind the scenes many Governments are having an influence on our cherished event,” Parsons said.
“In taking our decision yesterday we were looking at the long-term health and survival of the Paralympic Movement. We are fiercely proud of the principles and values that have made the Movement what it is.”
Football
FIFA and UEFA announced in a joint statement on February 28 that they had suspended all Russian international and club teams from their competitions “until further notice.”
Although there were no Russian teams remaining in UEFA’s men’s or women’s Champions League and men’s Conference League, Spartak Moscow’s match against RB Leipzig in the Europa League has been called off, with the German club now advancing to the quarterfinals as a result.
On the international stage, FIFA’s jurisdiction over World Cup qualifiers means that, as it stands, Russia will not be able to play its World Cup playoff against Poland scheduled for March 24 – and could possibly miss out on football’s showpiece event as a result.
“Football is fully united here and in full solidarity with all the people affected in Ukraine,” the joint statement read. “Both Presidents hope that the situation in Ukraine will improve significantly and rapidly so that football can again be a vector for unity and peace amongst people.”
READ: FIFA and UEFA suspend all Russian international and club teams from competitions
The FIA and Formula One
The World Motor Sport Council held an extraordinary meeting on March 1 in regards to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and decided on a range of punishments for Russian and Belarusian motorsport, motorsport’s governing body, the FIA, said in a statement.
The approved measures included a ban on competitions held in both Russia and Belarus and the prohibition of both countries’ flags and anthems, “until further notice.”
Individual drivers from either Russia or Belarus can still compete, but only in “their neutral capacity and under the ‘FIA flag,’ subject to specific commitment and adherence to the FIA’s principles of peace and political neutrality,” the statement added.
On March 6, the Haas F1 team terminated the contract of Russian driver Nikita Mazepin and its title sponsor Uralkali amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Mazepin was preparing to compete in his second season in F1 having raced for Haas throughout 2021.
“Haas F1 Team has elected to terminate, with immediate effect, the title partnership of Uralkali, and the driver contract of Nikita Mazepin,” the team said in a statement.
“As with the rest of the Formula 1 community, the team is shocked and saddened by the invasion of Ukraine and wishes for a swift and peaceful end to the conflict.”
In a statement on social media, Mazepin said he is “disappointed” with the decision, adding: “While I understand the difficulties, the ruling from FIA (motorsport governing body) plus my ongoing willingness to accept the conditions proposed in order to continue were completely ignored and no process was followed in this unilateral step.
Other measures included in the FIA statement’s on March 1 were the temporary exclusion of Russian or Belarusian FIA members from their responsibilities and roles as elected officers or commissions’ members and a ban on FIA grants to Russian or Belarusian members.
The statement concluded with a reiteration of F1’s cancellation of the Russian Grand Prix, originally scheduled for September 25 this year. In a statement last week, F1 said that “it is impossible” that the race goes ahead “in the current circumstances” and the FIA approved, confirming the cancellation due to “Force Majeure.”
Athletics
The World Athletics Council announced new sanctions on March 1 banning all athletes from Russia and Belarus from competing in World Athletics Series events “with immediate effect.”
The council says it is also considering taking further measures, such as potentially suspending the Belarus Federation as it has done with the Russian Athletics Federation since 2015.
Even those Russian athletes that have been given permission to compete as neutral athletes will be excluded from World Athletics Series events “for the foreseeable future.”
“The world is horrified by what Russia has done, aided and abetted by Belarus,” World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said in a statement. “World leaders sought to avoid this invasion through diplomatic means but to no avail given Russia’s unswerving intention to invade Ukraine.
“The unprecedented sanctions that are being imposed on Russia and Belarus by countries and industries all over the world appear to be the only peaceful way to disrupt and disable Russia’s current intentions and restore peace.”
The upcoming events that will be affected are the World Athletics Championships in Oregon, scheduled to begin on July 15, and the World Indoor Championships, scheduled to begin on March 18.
“Anyone who knows me will understand that imposing sanctions on athletes because of the actions of their government goes against the grain,” Coe added. “I have railed against the practice of politicians targeting athletes and sport to make political points when other sectors continue about their business.
“This is different as governments, business and other international organisations have imposed sanctions and measures against Russia across all sectors. Sport has to step up and join these efforts to end this war and restore peace. We cannot and should not sit this one out.”
Tennis
The International Tennis Federation (ITF) released a statement on March 1 announcing “the immediate suspension of the Russian Tennis Federation (RTF) and Belarus Tennis Federation (BTF) from ITF membership and from participation in ITF international team competition until further notice,” following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
In addition, the ITF also canceled all ITF competitions from both Russia and Belarus.
The indefinite suspension means that neither Russia or Belarus can compete in the 2022 Davis Cup or 2022 Billie Jean King Cup. However, Russian and Belarusian players will still be allowed to compete as individuals on both the ATP and WTA Tours and at grand slams, but they will not be allowed to compete under the Russian or Belarusian flag “until further notice.”
The ATP and WTA released a joint statement on March 1 condemning Russia’s actions and suspending the WTA / ATP combined event scheduled for October in Moscow.
Other sporting sanctions
- Archery: No athlete, team official or technical official from Russia or Belarus will be permitted to participate in any international archery event until further notice. Russian and Belarusian flags and anthems to be removed from all international tournaments. No future events will be awarded to either country.
- Badminton: All Russian athletes and officials from Russia and Belarus are suspended from competing in Badminton World Federation-sanctioned events.
- Baseball and softball: No Russian or Belarusian athletes or officials will be invited or allowed to participate in international competitions sanctioned by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC).
- Basketball: Russian teams and officials “will not be allowed to participate in FIBA Basketball and 3x3 Basketball competitions until further notice,” according to the International Basketball Federation.
- Biathlon: All Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials are suspended from participating in International Biathlon Union events.
- Canoeing: All athletes from Russia and Belarus will be suspended from competing at any International Canoe Federation (ICF) events.
- Chess: Russian and Belarusian flags and anthems will not be played at any International Chess Federation (FIDE) events. All existing sponsorship deals with Russian and Belarusian sanctioned and/or state-controlled companies will be terminated and no new deals will be made. Russian grandmasters Sergey Karjakin and Sergey Shipov referred to the Ethics and Disciplinary Commission.
- Curling: All Russian entries to be removed from the upcoming World Championships by the World Curling Federation (WCF).
- Cycling: Russian and Belarusian national teams or selections “are not authorised to take part in any events” sanctioned by the International Cycling Union (UCI). Additionally, the UCI announced any team with Russian or Belarusian nationality will have their UCI Team status withdrawn and all events taking place in Russia or Belarus will be withdrawn – five in total. The Russian and Belarusian National Championships are withdrawn from the UCI calendar and all of Russia’s and Belarus’ “emblems, names, acronyms, flags and anthems” will be banned at UCI events. Russian and Belarusian athletes will though be allowed to participate in UCI events as neutrals as long as “they are registered with a UCI Team that is neither Russian nor Belarusian.”
- Gymnastics: Russian and Belarusian flags and anthems will not be used at events sanctioned by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG). All FIG events set to be hosted in Russia and Belarus will be removed and neither country will be awarded new events.
- Hockey: Russia banned from FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup scheduled from April 1 to 12 in Potchefstroom, South Africa.
- Ice hockey: All of Russia’s and Belarus’ international and club teams at every age group are suspended from competing in all International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) competitions or events. Russia will also be stripped of its right to host the World Junior Championship in 2023, the IIHF said.
- Judo: Russian President Vladimir Putin and oligarch Arkady Rotenberg have been removed from all their positions at the International Judo Federation (IJF), the sport’s governing body said in a statement on March 6.
- Pentathlon: All Russian athletes and officials from Russia and Belarus are suspended from competing in international competitions sanctioned by World Pentathlon (UIPM).
- Rowing: All Russian athletes and officials from Russia and Belarus are suspended from competing in international competitions sanctioned by World Rowing.
- Rugby: Russia’s and Belarus’ national teams are suspended from “all international rugby and cross-border club rugby activities until further notice” by World Rugby. The Rugby Union of Russia’s World Rugby membership has also been suspended.
- Sailing: All Russian athletes and officials from Russia and Belarus are suspended from competing in international competitions sanctioned by World Sailing. Where not possible due to “short time frames,” Russian and Belarusian athletes will participate “neutrally, without national symbols, colours, flags or anthems.”
- Skating: Russian and Belarusian skaters suspended from participating in all international ice skating competitions by the International Skating Union (ISU).
- Skiing: All remaining FIS World Cup events scheduled to be held in Russia this season are to be canceled and all Russian and Belarusian skiers are suspended from competing in all FIS competitions.
- Surfing: Athletes and officials from Russia are suspended from participating in International Surfing Association (ISA) events.
- Swimming: Russian President Vladimir Putin has the FINA Order award withdrawn by the International Swimming Federation (FINA).
- Taekwondo: Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials will not be permitted to compete at World Taekwondo events until further notice. On February 28, World Taekwondo stripped Russian President Vladimir Putin of his honorary black belt.
- Triathlon: World Triathlon stated that Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials will not be allowed to participate “in all international competitions or official events,” to be reviewed on a monthly basis based on “how the situation evolves.”
- Volleyball: Russia to be stripped of hosting rights for this year’s men’s Volleyball World Championship by the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) and all Russian and Belarusian national teams, clubs and officials, as well as beach and snow volleyball athletes, will be suspended from all events until further notice.
CNN’s Aleks Klosok contributed to this report.