(Reuters) -International sports activities federations ought to both move or cancel sports activities events presently deliberate in Russia or Belarus, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) mentioned on Friday, a day after Russia invaded Ukraine.
Russian troops entered Ukraine by means of Belarus when the invasion started on Thursday. Ukraine’s chief of employees mentioned on Friday that the Russians have been now utilizing an airfield in Belarus to line up troops to assault Kyiv.
“The Executive Board (EB) of the International Olympic Committee reiterated immediately the IOC’s robust condemnation of the breach of the Olympic Truce by the Russian authorities and the federal government of Belarus by means of its help in this,” the IOC mentioned in a press release.
It mentioned worldwide sports activities federations “ought to take the breach of the Olympic Truce by the Russian and Belarusian governments under consideration and provides the security and safety of the athletes absolute precedence.”
The IOC’s govt additionally mentioned that Russian and Belarusian nationwide flags shouldn’t be displayed at worldwide sports activities events.
Russian athletes on the Beijing Games didn’t compete beneath their flag and their anthem was not performed at any ceremonies, following sanctions imposed for the widespread doping throughout many sports activities uncovered after the 2014 Sochi Games.
The invasion of Ukraine led to Russia dropping the Champions League ultimate, the Formula One Russian Grand Prix and snowboarding World Cup events amongst many others.
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Tomasz Janowski)
