Ukrainian athletes call for tougher sporting sanctions against Russia and Belarus
Leading Ukrainian athletes such as high jumper Yaroslava Mahuchikh, long jumper Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk and triple jumper Olga Saladukha are urging athletics governing bodies to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from international competition following the Russian attack on Ukraine.
Mahuchikh, 20, is the European indoor champion and won Olympic bronze in Tokyo last year, while Bekh-Romanchuk, 26, is also a reigning European indoor gold medallist.
Saladukha, meanwhile, is a three-time European champion and won the world title in 2011 before the 38-year-old became a member of the Ukraine parliament in 2019.
Mahuchikh posted on social media: “For several days, almost all of Ukraine wakes up from explosions and shots. Russia has started a war with us, but we are a strong people and we are resisting. All the people of Ukraine are helping our army, each other, what we can, we will endure everything together.
"For the Russians: stop pretending that there is no war! Russia has attacked Ukraine! They are bombing cities, shooting at civilians and this is our reality! By inaction you support the war! We do not want war, but we will defend our home.”
Saladukha is among a number of key athletes who put together a video message that supports a formal letter to the IOC and IPC, asking for the Russian and Belarusian Olympic and Paralympic committees to be suspended.
And on Monday (Feb 26) the IOC recommended that Russian and Belarusian athletes be prevented from competing in international events, saying it was acting with “a heavy heart”.
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Pressure is coming from not just individual athletes either as the Ukraine Athletics Federation issued an open letter to World and European Athletics, writing: “It’s been several days already since Ukrainian Athletes, our compatriots, our families and our friends are living under constant shelling; our children are hiding in bomb shelters and basements as a result of this aggressive attack by Russia on our country. Military strikes are inflicted on civilian population, orphanages, kindergartens and hospitals.
“Due to immense danger for communities, we have to earnestly ask you to put Russia and Belarus under rightful sanctions. The Athletes Commissions of World Athletics and European Athletics and organisers should oppose and, in solidarity with the Ukrainian athletes, immediately remove Russia and Belarus from the board of members.”
World Athletics issued a statement soon after the start of the Russian attack on Ukraine saying it was “appalled by developments in Ukraine and condemns the Russian military invasion”.
It added that there was “no reason to believe this will affect plans for the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Muscat 22 or the World Athletics Indoor Championships Belgrade 22” and reminded the sport that the Russian Athletics Federation has been suspended from World Athletics since 2015 due to doping.
Similarly, European Athletics said it “stands with Ukraine and all international sports federations in condemning the deplorable ongoing Russian military action in Ukraine.”
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Currently Russian athletes who compete under Authorised Neutral Athlete (ANA) status are allowed to compete and indeed the IOC says it “urges international sports federations and organisers of sports events worldwide to do everything in their power to ensure that no athlete or sports official from Russia or Belarus be allowed to take part under the name of Russia or Belarus", adding: "Russian or Belarusian nationals, be it as individuals or teams, should be accepted only as neutral athletes or neutral teams."
Pole vault legend Sergey Bubka won three of his six world titles for the Soviet Union until its dissolution in 1991. He then won his final three titles for Ukraine, where he was born, before going on to become senior vice-president of World Athletics and president of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine. He has said in recent days: "War must stop, peace and humanity must prevail".
Another Ukrainian athletics legend, Nataliya Dobrynska, the 2008 Olympic heptathlon gold medallist and world indoor pentathlon record-holder, said: "Our athletes can't compete now, they are sitting in basements and bunkers, some are defending Ukraine in the army."
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There are currently no restrictions on athletes from Belarus competing internationally, but World Athletics is monitoring the situation constantly and with every day that passes well-known athletes are voicing their concern.
John Regis, the British 200m record-holder, said on Monday (Feb 28): "It's time to suspend ALL Russian athletes from competing in our beloved sport. Unity and solidarity with Ukraine."
@WorldAthletics it's time @sebcoe to join the world and suspend ALL Russian athletes from competing in our beloved sport. Unity and Solidarity with Ukraine. ♥️
— John Regis MBE (@Jregismbe1) February 28, 2022
Adam Kszczot, the reigning world indoor 800m champion from Poland, added: "I planned to end my career at the World Indoor Championships in Serbia but it is a bad moment and place for this.
"I can't imagine myself standing together with Belarusian and Russian (ANA) athletes in Serbia, the country who refused sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine invasion.
"Is the World Indoor Championships in Serbia ethical and safe? Do athletes feel safe? Will Russian (ANA) and Belarusian athletes be approved to compete?"
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