Following recommendation by the International Olympic Committee to avoid the participation of Russian athletes and officials in international competitions - in order to protect the integrity of global sports competitions and for the safety of all participants – the Executive Board of the International Hockey Federation has taken the decision to exclude Russia from the upcoming FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup scheduled from 1 to 12 April in Potchefstroom, South Africa.
Earlier this week, FIH had expressed its full solidarity with the members of Ukraine’s hockey community at this terrible time.
FIH is in regular contact with the Hockey Association of Ukraine and is doing its utmost to offer any support it can, in the hope that the Ukrainian team will be able to participate in the upcoming FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup.
Bans from FIFA, World Rugby eliminate World Cup qualification chances
This comes just after FIFA barred Russia from competing in the 2022 World Cup.
Russia were expected to compete in a World Cup playoff this month along with Poland, Sweden and Czech Republic – who all refused to compete at a neutral venue.
“Football is fully united here and in full solidarity with all the people affected in Ukraine,” FIFA and UEFA said in a statement.
World Rugby has also imposed an indefinite suspension on Russia, rendering the country’s chance of qualifying for the World Cup next year in France all but over.
Banned from sport shooting
The International Sports Shooting Federation also heeded to the IOC’s request to ban Russia from competitions.
“Following the respective decision of the IOC Executive Board and a meeting with the IOC President, the ISSF decided that athletes from the Russian Federation and Belarus will not be allowed to take part in ISSF Championships,” the ISSF said in a statement.
The Badminton World Federation has also cancelled events based in Russia and Belarus, and barred athletes from those countries from competing at events as well.
“A small number of Russian athletes competing in two back-to-back international Para badminton tournaments in Spain…will be allowed to participate as they have already arrived on location. These players, however, will compete as neutral athletes, with no national flags or anthems,” BWF said in a statement.
ATP, WTA, ITF issue joint statement
The world tennis bodies, in a joint statement, put forward three sanctions against players from Russia and Belarus.
“The WTA and ATP Boards have made the decision to suspend the WTA / ATP combined event, scheduled this October in Moscow,” read the statement.
“The ITF Board has made the decision to suspend the Russian Tennis Federation and Belarus Tennis Federation membership and to withdraw their entries from all ITF international team competition until further notice. This action follows the cancellation of all ITF tournaments in Russia and Belarus indefinitely.
“At this time, players from Russia and Belarus will continue to be allowed to compete in international tennis events on Tour and at the Grand Slams. However, they will not compete under the name or flag of Russia or Belarus until further notice.”
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