• Українською
  • Ukraine calls for further suspension of gymnasts from russia and belarus from international competitions
    Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, posted 24 January 2025 09:59

    Ukraine's Minister of Youth and Sports Matvii Bidnyi, President of the National Olympic Committee Vadym Gutzeit and President of the Ukrainian Gymnastics Federation Iryna Deryugina signed a letter to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG).

    The officials stressed Ukraine's unwavering position: as long as russian troops, with the support of the belarusian regime, continue their criminal war against the Ukrainian people, russian and belarusian athletes should be banned from participating in international competitions in any status, including neutral.

    In the letter, they noted that the athletes who had been granted the status of individual neutral athletes (AIN) represented the russian federation. They openly support the war against Ukraine and participated in events promoting the war or expressed their support for russian aggression.

    Among these athletes are Lala Kramarenko, Daniel Marinov, Victoria Listunova, Angelina Melnikova, Vladislava Urazova, Nikita Nagorny, David Belyavsky, Artur Dalaloyan, Maxim Khodykin and Ivan Kulyak, who were seen at propaganda events or on social media supporting the war.

    Representatives of Ukraine call on the International Olympic Committee and the International Gymnastics Federation to take measures to prevent the participation of russian and belarusian athletes who are members of military organisations or openly support the war against Ukraine in international competitions.