- The Ukrainian wants Russian and Belarusian athletes to be excluded from the Olympic Games
- Athletes from both countries can currently compete under neutral representation
- But Klitschko wants athletes from the countries not to be allowed to attend
Wladimir Klitschko wants Russian and Belarusian athletes banned from next year’s Olympic Games in Paris as punishment for the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
The former world heavyweight boxing champion condemned the International Olympic Committee for their decision to currently allow athletes from both countries to compete under neutral representation.
The Russian Olympic Committee has been suspended by the IOC and no longer has the right to operate as a National Olympic Committee.
Klitschko is Ukrainian and has been a staunch critic of Russia’s war against his country since the country began its invasion of the country in February last year.
Wladimir and his brother Vitali served alongside the Ukrainian army during the early part of the conflict and want further sanctions imposed on athletes from both Russia and Belarus.
Wladimir Klitschko wants Russian and Belarusian athletes banned from next year’s Olympics
Russian and Belarusian athletes may compete under neutral representation
Klitschko claims ‘more than 250 athletes’ have died in the ongoing war in Ukraine
Belarus has been a long-time ally of Russia during the war and has supported their aggression in Ukraine.
Klitschko has called on the IOC to ban athletes from the upcoming Olympic Games Mirror that the murder of Ukrainian athletes during the war must be punished.
‘Sports is extremely important. Now the talk is about the upcoming Olympic Games. Should Russia and Belarus happen – should their teams go to the Olympics or not?
“They should be banned as a result of their government, and also athletes who are part of the military. Sadly, as I speak, people are being killed in Ukraine, athletes are being killed. More than 250 athletes have been murdered in Ukraine.
“And we’re talking about someone who was at the Olympics and someone who’s going to be at the Olympics as a gymnast.
“We’re not just talking about boys, but also about the little girls who were supposed to go to the Olympics and were unfortunately killed.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko (left)
The Russian Olympic Committee is currently suspended by the IOC and no longer has the right to operate as a National Olympic Committee
Wladimir and his brother Vitali (left) have been critical of Russia’s ongoing war in their homeland Ukraine
Current regulations do not allow athletes who support the war or anyone with a contract with the Russian or Belarusian military or national security services to participate in the Olympic Games.
Banning Russian athletes from multiple sports was one of the first punishments imposed by sports organizations in response to the crisis in Ukraine.
Since then, however, Russian and Belarusian athletes have been able to return to competition across multiple sports, despite the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Wimbledon was one of the first major global tournaments to allow players from both countries to get back into the sport as they welcomed players from both countries for this year’s tennis competition.