Global Athlete Call for Strongest Sanctions Until Missing Advocate Anatol Kotau is Found

Open Letter to the International Fencing Federation from over 440 International Fencers

This ban is both deceptive and ineffectual, as the sole punitive measure that could truly bridle Russia, its ongoing aggression and its broader geopolitical strategies remains to be ‘decided’ – whether Russian and Belarusian athletes will compete at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. However, the IOC has already made clear, through its statements and actions, that a decision has already been contrived to welcome these athletes to Paris.

On the eve of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) General Assembly and Conference, we echo and amplify the voices of thousands of athletes and twenty-six governments by calling for both Russia and Belarus to be banned from the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games.

Open Letter to the International Olympic Committee. Athletes call on the IOC to suspend Russia and Belarus from international sport.

Over 300 International Fencers Call on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Fencing Federation (FIE) to Uphold the Ban on Russia and Belarus.

Last week, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) sent a letter to the President of the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Ukraine, Mr Vadaym Guttsait, attempting to justify Russia’s invitation to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. In the letter, the IOC told Ukraine that threatening to boycott the Olympic Games would be a violation of the Olympic Charter and would result in a sanction. The IOC’s inverted stance toward the aggressor and the victim of this war flouts the Olympic Charter and undermines peace.

Today’s decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete in qualifiers to attend the 2024 Paris Olympic Games sends a message to the world that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) endorses Russia’s brutal war and invasion of Ukraine. By allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete, the IOC is strengthening Russia’s propaganda machine, empowering the Putin regime, and undermining peace.

Russian and Belarusian Athletes must be banned from all international sporting events until Russia fully withdraws from Ukraine. The IOC holds significant responsibility to ensure that international sport is not a stage for Russian foreign policy and must enact on this clear breach of Human Rights and the Olympic Charter.