Sport draws further consequences
Putin loses belt, Russia World Championships
03/01/2022, 11:35 am
Sport continues to ban Russia from its community and competitions. Also on Tuesday there are numerous reactions and consequences from athletes and associations. Some are more symbolic, others tangible.
After the World Judo Federation revoked his honorary presidency, Russian President Vladimir Putin lost another award from a sports association because of the invasion of Ukraine. The World Taekwondo Federation withdrew the 69-year-old’s honorary black belt, which was awarded in 2013. At the same time, the association strongly condemned “the brutal attacks on innocent lives in Ukraine, which are directed against World Taekwondo’s vision of ‘peace is more precious than triumphs’ and the values of respect and tolerance”.
Like other sports organizations, the Taekwondo Federation imposed sanctions on athletes from Russia and Belarus. During competitions, neither the flags of the two countries are shown nor their anthems played. The World Federation and the European Taekwondo Union will no longer organize or recognize competitions in Russia or Belarus.
After Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine with the support of Belarus, the World Judo Federation suspended Putin as honorary president and ambassador of the sport. The Kremlin boss is himself a black belt holder.
Association deprives Russia of the volleyball world championship
The world volleyball association FIVB withdraws the men’s world championship from Russia. The FIVB announced that a new organizer for the World Cup tournament from August 26 to September 11 was now being sought. Because of the war in Ukraine it was “impossible to prepare and hold world championships in Russia”, it said in the statement. The world association is “seriously concerned about the escalating situation and the safety of the people in Ukraine”. The FIVB had already canceled Russia as a stage in the Nations League. Games in Russia were originally planned for the women from the end of June in Ufa and for the men from the beginning of July in Kemerevo. The replacement organizers are to be named shortly.
Russia and Belarus are not allowed to compete in the World Skating Championships
The figure skaters, speed skaters and short trackers from Russia and Belarus are excluded from all international competitions with immediate effect. As the International Skating Union (ISU) announced, this also applies to officials from the two countries. This marks the start of Russia and Belarus at the World Figure Skating Championships from March 21 to 27 in Montpellier, France, the All-Around Speed Skating World Championships next weekend in Hamar, Norway, and the Short Track World Championships from March 18 to 20 in Canada Montreal denied. Athletes from both countries will also not be able to compete in the speed skating World Cup finals on March 12 and 13 in Heerenveen, the Netherlands.
Russia had won women’s figure skating gold at the Beijing Winter Olympics through Anna Shcherbakova and in the team competition. Overall, the strong figure skating nation won six out of 14 possible medals. At the European Championships in Tallinn/Estonia, the Russian runners had won all four titles and a total of nine out of twelve medals. In speed skating, Angelina Golikova finished third in the 500m, the only individual medal for the Russian Olympic Committee team in Beijing. The men’s team also finished second in the pursuit. In the short track, Konstantin Iwlijew (silver/500 m) and Semjon Yelistratow (bronze/1500 m) won medals in China. “The ISU Executive will continue to closely monitor the situation in Ukraine and its impact on ISU activities and will take additional measures if necessary,” the statement said.
Ice hockey teams excluded, World Cup withdrawn
The World Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has suspended the Russian and Belarusian teams from all competitions “until further notice”. In doing so, the IIHF is following other international associations such as FIFA and UEFA. In addition, Russia will be revoked the rights to host the 2023 World Junior Championships, the statement said. The Ice Hockey World Championships in Finland will probably take place without Russia and Belarus. At the Olympic Games in Beijing, Russia narrowly missed out on the title in the final against Finland. An Ice Hockey World Championship without Russia was previously unimaginable. The Sbornaja has won the title 27 times, making it the record winner alongside Canada.
In solidarity with Ukraine, the Norwegian Ski Association has barred athletes from Russia and Belarus from participating in the World Cup competitions in Norway this week. Dhe Norwegians could not have waited for the world association Fis to make a decision, said association president Erik Røste. “The Norwegian Ski Association can express that it does not want Russian or Belarusian participation, but it cannot refuse them to participate,” General Secretary Michel Vion said on Norwegian radio. But there will be no local conflict. The Russian cross-country skiers, ski jumpers and Nordic combined would leave on Wednesday, it was said.
Russia’s handball is paralyzed internationally
The European handball federation EHF also joined other international sports federations and has suspended Russia and Belarus for the time being. According to the decision of the EHF Executive Committee on Monday evening, neither the national teams nor clubs from the two countries are allowed to take part in European competitions. With this step, the EHF follows a recommendation of the International Olympic Committee. For example, Meshkow Brest from Belarus is affected in the men’s Champions League. Rostov-Don and CSKA Moscow play in the premier class for women.
LAt the EHF, referees and officials from Russia and its allies Belarus will no longer be nominated for games until further notice. Events planned in Russia will be reassigned. “These measures had to be taken with immediate effect as the war in Ukraine continues to rage and endangers the EHF’s principles of cooperation at European level and the spirit of fairness,” it said in a statement. The EHF regrets the consequences for individuals, clubs and national teams and hopes that the return of peace will allow for new reflections.
The former Bundesliga coach and current Russian national coach Velimir Petkovic ruled out a resignation for the time being. “I coach handball players, not a regime,” Petkovic told the “Stuttgarter Nachrichten”. He lives in Berlin, but is currently in Moscow to talk to representatives of the association about further cooperation. “I found out how to proceed, but everything is open,” said the 65-year-old. His contract runs until 2024. Petkovic coached the German clubs HSG Wetzlar, Frisch Auf Göppingen and Füchse Berlin, among others. He has a German passport, but he also experienced the Balkan War in his native Bosnia.
Canoeists exclude Russians and Belarusians
The World Canoe Federation ICF has banned athletes from Russia and Belarus from all events until further notice. In addition to the athletes, the ICF Executive Committee has decided to ban all officials from Russia and Belarus from attending federation-sanctioned events, as well as from attending ICF meetings, committees and forums, it said.
Last week, the ICF canceled three events that were supposed to take place in Russia this year. president Thomas Konietzko said the ICF Executive Board unanimously supported the International Olympic Committee’s tough stance and had not hesitated to make its own tough decisions to condemn the behavior of the two countries. “We are in constant contact with our canoeing family in Ukraine and it is evident that this is a very stressful and worrying time for everyone,” Konietzko said. The federation decided to set up a donation account to raise money for Ukrainian athletes affected by the war and asked national federations to donate to the cause.
Swimming association goes a different way
Despite the war in Ukraine, Russian and Belarusian athletes can still take part in international competitions organized by the World Swimming Federation Fina. However, they should only be admitted as neutral athletes or teams, as the Fina announced. Participation under the name of Russia or Belarus is no longer allowed.
At international events, “no national symbols, colors, flags should be shown or anthems played”. Fina will continue to monitor the situation and make further decisions if necessary. The Russian President Vladimir Putin is also deprived of the Fina medal, which he received from the association in 2014.
No consequences for Russians in DEB, HBL and VBL
The Russian attack on Ukraine initially has no effect on the respective game operations of the Handball Bundesliga (HBL), the German Ice Hockey League (DEL) and the Volleyball Bundesliga (VBL). After the European Handball Federation decided to exclude Russian and Belarusian clubs from international competitions on Monday evening, there are no sanctions in the HBL. “The question does not arise,” said HBL Managing Director Frank Bohmann. Asat Waliullin from HSV Hamburg and Gleb Kalarasch from MT Melsungen can continue to play. A suspension of the players “would not have been fair” for Bohmann.
Russian professionals in the DEL are also not threatened with any consequences. When asked by dpa, a spokesman for the league confirmed that both the Krefeld Pinguine and the Adler Mannheim can continue to rely on their players from Russia. In Krefeld, Igor Zakharkin is also a Russian coach behind the gang. In the volleyball league, you want to stick to the guidelines of the international associations. According to the VBL, there is no legal basis for an exclusion beforehand.