Athlete reps call for end to Russia, Belarus ban

The ban on Russia or Belarus from international competitions is unfair and should end, International Olympic Committee (IOC) representatives Gaby Ahrens and Arsen Julfalakyan told the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (Pace) on Tuesday.

Olympic silver medallist Julfalakyan from Armenia chairs the United World Wrestling Athletes’ Commission, while Ahrens from Namibia, who competed in shooting at three editions of the Olympic Games, chairs the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (Anoca) Athletes’ Commission.

They shared their views during the 46-nation Pace-held hearing in Strasbourg, France, on the participation of athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passports in international competitions.

“As you know very well, unfortunately in Africa, we are very familiar with the issue of armed conflict between countries and within countries. That’s why this topic is very important to athletes in our continent as, for us in Africa, the issue of wars and armed conflict is not foreign,” Ahrens is quoted as saying in a report of the gathering on the IOC website.

She referred to the discussions of 100 athlete representatives at the Africa Athletes’ Forum last month, and quoted the resolution they agreed on.

“Athletes should never pay the price of a conflict whatever it is and wherever it is. Politics should not put pressure on sport to withdraw from its fundamental values of solidarity and unity,” Ahrens said.

“On behalf of athletes from Africa and our commission, I would like to reiterate that athletes should never pay the price of a conflict their government is involved in.”

Julfalakyan referred to the situation in his home country and the conflict with neighbouring Azerbaijan when stating his position on the matter.

“I have never used my position in different international sports conferences or meetings to call for a total ban of the Azerbaijani athletes. And I’m not going to do that here either,” he said.

He pointed to the dozens of ongoing conflicts in the world right now, “with unfortunately way too many people suffering and dying. This was the case or still is in some countries such as Iraq, Yugoslavia, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Lebanon, Afghanistan and way too many others. Can anyone remember a case when all the athletes of a country were banned because of an armed conflict or a war?”

Alexandra Xanthaki, special rapporteur of the United Nations Human Rights Council in the field of Cultural Rights, also weighed in on the subject, saying that the “blanket prohibition of Russian and Belorussian athletes on the basis of their nationality violates the principles of universality and non-discrimination, two of the most fundamental human rights principles”.

She added that: “Punishing individuals solely based on their nationality for the heinous acts of leaders over which they have no control undermines this distinction.”

However, European lawmakers urged the IOC to exclude Russian and Belarusian athletes from the 2024 Paris Games rather than keep seeking ways to let them compete as neutrals in international sport, ESPN reported.

With 15 months until the opening ceremony in Paris, Olympic sports bodies are weighing the IOC’s formal request – a reversal of its advice last year for exclusion – to look at reintegrating some Russians and Belarusians into games qualifying as individuals, but not in team events.

“Imposing a war has to have a clear consequence. Sport also has to take its responsibility,” Danish lawmaker Mogens Jensen said, adding the “only one clear message to send” was excluding athletes.

The Council of Europe was created after World War II to advocate for freedom and protection of minorities. It expelled Russia as a member last year.