US State Department Says Belarusian Athletes Directly Tied To Military, Special Services

IOC approved the sanctions.

The U.S. State Department continues consultations with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committees, as well as with the like-minded countries in connection with the International Olympic Committee recommendations to international federations on the potential participation of Russian or Belarusian athletes in the competitions.

As Radio "Svaboda" reports, this was stated by deputy press secretary of the American Department of Foreign Affairs Vedant Patel.

"We are still of great concern with direct links between Olympic and Paralympic athletes and the Russian and Belarusian military and national security services, as well as with the enforcement mechanisms of the IOC, which were not mentioned in the news published today," stated the State Department spokesman.

On March 28, the Executive Committee of the International Olympic Committee discussed the possibility of allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete. Following the meeting, the IOC allowed the Belarusians and Russians to compete in neutral status, but said that the sanctions imposed in February 2022 against the Belarusian and Russian authorities for the war in Ukraine should remain in force.

At the meeting, the IOC executive committee approved recommendations for international sports federations and organisers of international competitions:

- athletes with Belarusian and Russian passports may participate in international competitions only in neutral status,

- teams of athletes with Belarusian and Russian passports are not allowed to participate in the competitions,

- athletes who actively support the war are not allowed to participate (the same goes for sports personnel)

- athletes who have contracts with Russian or Belarussian military departments or special services are not allowed to compete (the same goes for sports personnel)

- athletes in neutral status must obey anti-doping rules,

The sanctions imposed on the Russian and Belarusian authorities since the outbreak of the war remain in force.

The IOC sanctions include a ban on international sporting events in Russia and Belarus, a ban on the use of flags and emblems at international sporting events and the non-admission of officials from Russia and Belarus to international sporting events.

"The IOC reserves the right to decide on their participation in due course, even if they are deemed to have qualified in accordance with the qualification criteria established by their respective international federations," the press release stresses.