IOC Recommends Banning Russian, Belarusian Athletes From International Events

The Olympic rings in front of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Dec. 7, 2021. Denis Balibouse/Reuters

The International Olympic Committee’s executive board has recommended sports federations to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials from competing in events following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The IOC said the executive board made the decision “in order to protect the integrity of global sports competitions and for the safety of all the participants” and that the body was acting with a “heavy heart.”