In a significant legal move, Russia’s track and field federation has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to challenge World Athletics’ decision to exclude Russian athletes from international competitions. This suspension, which also applies to Belarus, was implemented in March 2022 after Russia’s military actions in Ukraine.
Despite the International Olympic Committee’s recent relaxation of restrictions on Russian athletes ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, World Athletics maintained its ban during a recent council meeting. The Kremlin has welcomed the IOC’s decision as an “important step” and urged other sports organizations to follow suit.
The Russian track federation expressed its stance in a statement, saying, “Russian Athletics notes that World Athletics’ decision affects the fundamental interests of athletics in Russia and restricts Russian athletes’ right to compete, on grounds that Russian Athletics considers discriminatory.” They further emphasized their commitment to “pursue all available legal measures to protect the interests of Russian athletes.”
World Athletics remains firm in its position and is prepared to defend its decision. “We take note of the Russian athletics federation’s appeal to CAS, and we will be strenuously defending our position,” stated World Athletics. CAS has confirmed receiving “a request for arbitration,” though the timeline for proceedings remains unspecified.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe recently articulated the organization’s deliberations on possibly reinstating Russian and Belarusian athletes under specific conditions. However, the council ultimately decided to uphold the existing sanctions. Coe explained, “We presented options for the council to consider on this matter, however, the original decision remains on the sanctions that protect the integrity and fairness of our competitions, with no tangible movement towards peace negotiations having materialized.”
Since 2015, Russia has been unable to compete under its flag in world athletics championships due to a doping suspension, which was lifted in 2023. However, following the invasion of Ukraine, the program that allowed Russian athletes to compete under a neutral flag was terminated in 2022. Consequently, no Russian athletes participated in the 2024 Paris Games’ athletic events, although the IOC permitted neutral athletes in other sports.
Volleyball Welcomes Russian Teams
Volleyball has become the first major Olympic team sport to reintegrate Russian teams following the IOC’s decision. The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) announced plans to allow Russian teams and players to compete at all levels. They affirmed, “This approach reflects the FIVB’s commitment to protecting the fundamental right of athletes to access sport regardless of their nationality.” However, the use of Russian national symbols, such as the flag and anthem, will be determined later in consultation with relevant sports organizations.
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