'Sport is above politics': Top European athletic official tells Olympics to remove ban on Russia and Belarus

The head of the European Weightlifting Federation has formally requested that the International Olympic Committee remove the "individual neutral athlete" status for competitors from Russia and Belarus.

Eliminating that restraint would enable them to participate in the Olympics under their own national flags.

The measure was imposed following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. It also affected Belarus, as that country had allowed Russian troops to use its territory for the military operation.

"Lifting these restrictions would not be a political act, it would be a reaffirmation of the Olympic values we all stand for," EWF president Astrit Hasani said in an open letter to IOC chief Kirsty Coventry.

"It would send a strong message that sport is above politics and will not be divided by the conflicts of the world but will remain a powerful force that brings the world together," Hasani said.

Just last week, the International Paralympic Committee voted to lift its own suspension on Russia and Belarus. "This decision means NPC [National Paralympic Committee] Belarus and NPC Russia now regain their full rights and privileges of IPC membership," it said in a statement.

Hasani, who was elected to head the weightlifting federation earlier this year, in April, emphasised in his letter on Friday the importance of allowing national flags at the Olympics even if such a banner could be considered controversial.
"I come from the Republic of Kosovo, a country that is not politically recognised by either Russia or Belarus. Yet, it was through the unifying power of sport that our judoka Majlinda Kelmendi was able to compete, and the flag of Kosovo was proudly raised in the heart of Russia, with even Russian guards saluting it – hand on forehead – when the anthem played. This moment serves as a powerful reminder that sport rises above political divisions," Hasani said.

He was likely referring to the 2016 European Championship in the central Russian city of Kazan, where Kelmendi won a gold medal. Just a few months later, she went on to become the first-ever athlete representing Kosovo to win a gold at the Olympics, during the Summer Games in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro.

Hasani said in his letter that it is high time to reconsider the ban on Russian and Belarusian national participation in the Olympics in light of the Paralympic move to lift such restrictions and also because the underlying reason for the punishment – a military invasion – might implicate another country, Israel.

"Questions about consistency and impartiality have arisen, especially after the recent Paralympics decision and the calls for Israel to receive similar consideration due to ongoing military conflicts," he said. "This situation underscores the importance of clear and consistent application of principles in international sport."

Hasani argued that specific officials should be held responsible for potential violations, not entire groups of athletes who were not directly involved.

"If the Russian Olympic Committee [ROC] is deemed to have violated the Olympic Charter by incorporating regional sports organisations from territories internationally recognised as part of Ukraine," he said, "then any sanctions should be directed specifically at the responsible decision-makers within the ROC."

He added: "Athletes, who have no authority over political or administrative actions taken by their NOC [National Olympic Committee], should not bear the consequences of such decisions."

Photo by Girish Sangammanavar on Unsplash

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