Belarus Athletes: Banned For Political Reasons

Belarusian athletes have been banned from competing in various international sporting competitions, including the Olympics and Paralympics. This is due to Belarus's support of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. As a result of this, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has banned athletes from Belarus and Russia from competing in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. However, a limited number of athletes from both nations will be allowed to compete as neutral athletes, without representing their country or any affiliated organisations.

Belarus supported Russia's invasion of Ukraine

Belarus has supported Russia's invasion of Ukraine in several ways. Firstly, it allowed the Russian Armed Forces to conduct military drills on its territory before the invasion, and these troops did not leave Belarus as scheduled. Belarus also allowed Russia to launch part of its invasion from Belarusian territory, giving Russian forces the shortest possible land route to Ukraine's capital, Kyiv. Additionally, Belarus permitted Russian missile launchers to be stationed on its territory to fire at Ukrainian targets.

There have been reports of Belarusian troops fighting alongside Russians in Ukraine, although the Belarusian leader, Alexander Lukashenko, denied these claims and asserted that the Belarusian Armed Forces would not directly engage in the conflict. Lukashenko has also stated that he would only send soldiers into Ukraine if his country were attacked first. Despite Lukashenko's assurances, there is evidence of Belarusian involvement in the war. For example, Russian soldiers wounded in Ukraine were treated in Belarusian hospitals, and Russian soldiers killed in the fighting were reportedly placed in morgues in the Homiel Region of Belarus.

Furthermore, Belarus has provided Russia with access to its military airbases and army installations, enabling Russian aircraft to launch attacks and shoot artillery and missiles towards Ukraine. Belarusian media and Telegram channels circulated videos and photos showing the movement of Russian armoured vehicles and helicopters in southern Belarus. Belarusian territory was also used as a staging ground for Russian nuclear weapons, with the two countries pursuing policies to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.

The involvement of Belarus in the Russian invasion of Ukraine has been met with section from the international community. Western countries, including the European Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Japan, have imposed sanctions on Belarus. Additionally, there have been protests in Belarus against the country's involvement in the war, and hackers have targeted Belarusian government agencies and critical infrastructure to disrupt the Russian war effort.

Belarusian athletes have shown support for the war in Ukraine

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has banned Russia and Belarus from sending official teams to the Paris 2024 Olympics due to the invasion of Ukraine. However, some athletes from these countries have been allowed to compete as neutral athletes.

A human rights law firm, Global Rights Compliance, has accused the IOC of negligence, claiming that 17 athletes from Russia and Belarus, who are set to compete in Paris, have shown support for the war in Ukraine. This is in breach of Olympic rules, which ban athletes from "expressing support for the war in Ukraine" on social media or official venues, or being a member of military-linked clubs.

Among the athletes accused of supporting the war is road cyclist Alena Ivanchenko, who reportedly liked an Instagram post from a pro-USSR account featuring an image of Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin with the caption, "A truce with the enemy is possible only after its destruction!". Ivanchenko also liked a post from Vladimir Putin announcing the partial mobilisation of civilians to "protect Russia" and ensure the security of "liberated territories" in Ukraine.

Tennis player Diana Shnaider is also among those accused. She reportedly liked two posts by Kremlin propagandist Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of Russia Today, which sought to justify Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Despite these accusations, the IOC has stated that it cannot comment on individual athletes, and that decisions on eligibility are made by the Individual Neutral Athlete Eligibility Review Panel.

The UK has sanctions in place against Belarus

The sanctions include arms embargoes, targeted asset freezes, travel bans, and sectoral sanctions. Financial sanctions prohibit dealing with funds or assets/goods/services owned, held, or controlled by a financial sanctions target and making these available directly or indirectly to a financial sanctions target or any person benefiting from them. The UKsectional sanctions prohibit the export, supply, transfer, and/or making available of certain goods and technology to or for use in Belarus, or to a "person connected with" Belarus. This includes items that can be used for internal repression, interception, and monitoring of communications, tobacco industry products, 'dual-use' goods and technology, oil refining goods and technology, quantum computing and advanced materials goods and technology, and "critical industry goods" and technology.

The UK has also banned Belarusian aircraft from overflying or landing in the UK and has prohibited the provision of technical assistance, including repair and maintenance services, to aircraft related to designated persons. In addition, UK ports are banned from allowing access to ships owned, controlled, chartered, or operated by a designated person or a person connected with Belarus. UK persons and British businesses must not provide insurance or reinsurance services to specified Belarusian authorities or entities wholly owned by Belarus or Belarusian authorities.

The UK has also imposed import controls, including prohibitions on the import of mineral products, arms and related materiel, and iron and steel products originating in or consigned from Belarus. There are also restrictions on the provision of technical assistance, financial services, funds, or brokering services related to restricted goods and technology with links to Belarus.

The UK government's stance on Belarus athletes

The UK government has taken a strong stance against the participation of Belarusian athletes in international sporting events following the country's support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In February 2023, the UK, along with over 30 other countries, pledged to support a ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing, citing concerns about the ongoing conflict. This stance was reiterated by UK Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer, who emphasised that Russia and Belarus must not be allowed to compete on the world stage or be represented at the Olympic Games as long as the war continues.

The UK government's position aligns with the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) decision to bar Belarusian athletes from competing under their national flag, anthem, or emblem. Belarusian athletes who are not associated with the military and have not publicly endorsed the invasion are allowed to compete as neutral athletes, a decision that the UK initially opposed but eventually endorsed. This shift in position is based on the updated neutrality conditions set by the IOC, which the UK deemed sufficiently stringent.

However, the UK government has expressed disappointment with UEFA's decision to allow Belarus to participate in football competitions, despite granting visas to Belarusian players and staff. The UK's sanctions against Belarus due to its support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine extend beyond sports, and the government maintains that there should be no Belarusian representation in international sports while the war in Ukraine continues.

The UK's stance on Belarusian athletes aims to hold Russia and Belarus accountable for their actions and send a strong message that their aggression will not be tolerated in the global sports community. By advocating for a ban on Belarusian athletes, the UK seeks to show solidarity with Ukraine and support the country in its time of need.

The International Olympic Committee's decision to ban Belarus

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has banned athletes from Belarus from competing in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. This decision was made due to Belarus's support of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The ban is part of a wider international effort to boycott Russia and its allies in the field of sports.

The IOC's decision to ban Belarus follows similar sanctions imposed by other sports organisations, such as Wimbledon and the Union Cycliste Internationale. The IOC has stated that the ban will ensure the "security and integrity" of the Olympic Games. Belarusian athletes were also banned from competing in the 2022 Winter Paralympic Games in Beijing, with the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) citing threats of boycott and rising tensions in the athletes' village as reasons for their decision.

Despite the ban, a limited number of athletes from Belarus will be allowed to compete in the Paris Olympics as "Individual Neutral Athletes" (INA). These athletes must first petition through the governing bodies of their respective sports and then seek approval from an IOC review panel. The panel will judge whether the athlete has expressed support for Russia's invasion or has ties to sports clubs affiliated with Russia's military. If approved, Belarusian athletes will compete under an INA flag and a teal-coloured flag will be raised during any medal ceremonies. Their national anthem will be replaced by an independent anthem commissioned by the IOC.

The decision to allow some Belarusian athletes to compete has been criticised by some, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who accused the IOC of showing that "terror is somehow acceptable". Others, like the United Nations Human Rights Council, have supported the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes, stating that "anyone has the right not to be discriminated [against] on the basis of their passport."

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