Resulting from Russia’s illegal actions under international law, the country has been banned from a range of different sporting events. Russia is not allowed to compete in qualifying rounds for the FIFA Men’s World Cup and therefore will not participate in the summer competition hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Russian athletes have been able to participate in major tennis tournaments, including Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, but without reference to their nationality on television or any formal documentation. In the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, Russians were allowed to participate as Olympic Athletes from Russia (OAR) as a means of sanctioning the country but also allowing athletes to stay outside of politics. For the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics and the current 2026 Winter Olympics, a new category – Individual Neutral Athletes (using the French-language acronym, AIN). Only Russians that are apolitical and can show that they do not support the war are able to participate.
Sports sanctioning remains a powerful tool for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and other global sporting organizations. While sports alone cannot reverse brutal military action by Russia, the message – four years after the Kremlin ordered troops to invade Ukraine – still keeps attention on the issue.
For example, when Ukrainian skeleton racer, Vladyslav Heraskevych, was not allowed to compete in Milan-Cortina because of his helmet, the subject of Russian aggression resurfaced dramatically. Heraskevych’s helmet merely showcased the images of fellow Ukrainian athletes who had been killed as part of Russia’s invasion. IOC President, Kirsty Coventry, argued that while she has sympathy for Heraskevych’s position, she must uphold the rule against making political statements.
Despite this difficult position for the IOC of disallowing a Ukrainian athlete to compete because of his refusal to change his helmet, athletic sanctions against Russia provide a powerful tool– the average Russian citizen is aware that the country is not allowed to participate fully in world affairs – diplomatic and sporting. This situation leaves the world with two options: 1) maintain the sanctions to send an ongoing message against the Putin regime’s aggression, or 2) offer to lift sporting sanctions could be a tool in the arsenal of diplomats as they seek to bring the war to a conclusion. By offering Russia an opportunity to rejoin the sporting world could be used to stop the conflict and provide Ukrainians negotiating leverage to an armistice or peace deal. In either scenario, Ukrainians have a level of support from the outside world at Milan-Cortina.
Glen Duerr is professor of International Studies at Cedarville University.
Credit: Scott Huck
Credit: Scott Huck