Sports|Russia-Ukraine war

Russia-Ukraine war: Which sporting bodies have banned Russia?

Sporting bodies around the world move to bar Russian athletes from competing in international events.

Russia players pose for a team group photo before a match against Turkey on September 7, 2018
Russia's football team has been kicked out of international competitions [File: Murad Sezer/Reuters]
Published On 1 Mar 2022
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Updated: 
3 Mar 2022
09:38 AM (GMT)

Russia is facing a major sporting fallout over its invasion of Ukraine, including being booted out of this year’s football World Cup and calls for a global ban from competitions.

Al Jazeera takes a look at some of the actions against the country’s athletes:

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Football

FIFA and UEFA have banned Russian national and clubs teams from their competitions “until further notice”.

The Russian men’s team was due to play in qualifying play-offs in March for the World Cup in Qatar later this year, while its women’s side had qualified for the European Championship in England, to be held in July.

In a statement, the Russian Football Federation said it “categorically disagreed” with the decision and added that it was contrary to the “spirit of sports”.

The Polish Football Association had previously insisted they would not play Russia in a World Cup playoff semi-final.

UEFA also announced that it is ending its partnership with Russian state energy giant Gazprom, which was believed to have been paying about 40 million euros ($45m) a year in a deal due to run until 2024.

Saint Petersburg, meanwhile, was stripped as host of UEFA’s Champions League final set for May 28. The game has been switched to the Stade de France in Paris.

IOC

The International Olympic Committee urged sports federations and organisers to exclude Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials from international events. A ban of this kind would see Russia join Yugoslavia under Slobodan Milosevic and South Africa under apartheid rule as major sporting pariahs.

Paralympic games

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) barred Russian and Belarusian athletes from the Winter Paralympics in Beijing.

The decision came a day after the IPC gave athletes from the two countries the green light to participate as neutrals, saying that the governing body had followed its rules and that “athletes were not the aggressors”.

Tennis

Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina is the first tennis player to refuse to compete against a Russian athlete – she had been due to face Russian Anastasia Potapova in Monterrey on Tuesday. The former world number three said she would not face opponents from Russia or Belarus.

Formula One

The Russian Grand Prix, scheduled for September 25, was cancelled, a day after defending world champion Max Verstappen and four-time champion Sebastian Vettel publicly declared their opposition to driving in the race.

“When a country is at war, it’s not right to run there,” Verstappen said.

Vettel added: “I will not go. I think it’s wrong to race in the country.”

US Formula One team Haas decided not to sport the Russian colours of its title sponsor Uralkali during the last day of pre-season testing in Barcelona.

Ice hockey

The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) suspended all Russian and Belarusian national teams and clubs from its competitions until further notice. It also stripped Russia of the hosting rights for the 2023 junior world championships.

Judo

The International Judo Federation (IJF) suspended Russian President Vladimir Putin as its honourary president.

Putin, an accomplished judoka who was awarded an eighth dan in 2014 – one of the highest levels in the sport – had held the post since 2008.

The IJF also said it cancelled the 2022 Gran Slam in the Russian city of Kazan, planned to be held from May 20 to 22.

Fencing

Ukrainian fencers withdrew from the world championships in Cairo to avoid a match with Russia.

The male Ukrainian team, dressed in the yellow and blue of their national flag, downed their swords and picked up signs to protest. “Stop Russia! Stop the war!” the signs read in English. “Save Ukraine! Save Europe.”

Rugby

Rugby’s world governing body banned Russia and Belarus from all international rugby “until further notice”. Russia’s membership in World Rugby was also suspended indefinitely, meaning its slim hopes of qualifying for next year’s World Cup in France are over.

Badminton

The Badminton World Federation (BWF) cancelled all sanctioned tournaments in Russia and Belarus, banning them from hosting future tournaments “until further notice” and ordering their flags and anthems banned from all BWF tournaments.

Taekwondo

World Taekwondo said they were stripping Putin of an honourary black belt, as Russia’s attack on Ukraine goes against the sport’s motto: “Peace is more precious than triumph”.

The body also said no Russian or Belarusian national flags or anthems would be displayed and played at events, nor will any future events be organised in the two countries.

Swimming

Swimming’s global governing body FINA called off the World Junior Swimming Championships that were to take place in Kazan (23 to 28 August).

FINA also withdrew the order it awarded Putin in 2014.

Equestrian Sports

The International Equestrian Federation (FEI) executive board called for all international events to be removed from Russia and Belarus.

Curling

The World Curling Federation began the process of removing the Russian Federation’s entries from the World Championships.

Source: Al Jazeera and news agencies