The issue of russia’s return to international sports and cultural events can only be considered after a just and lasting peace is achieved in Ukraine.
This conclusion is contained in the official European Council document adopted following the summit of the leaders of the 27 EU member states in Brussels. This is a clear signal to the international sports movement: aggression cannot be separated from sports.
Olha Saladukha, Chair of the Subcommittee on High-Performance Sports and Sports Activities of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Youth and Sports, emphasized: “Those who appeal to the argument that ‘sports is beyond politics’ should first consider just how ‘apolitical’ putin’s killings of Ukrainian athletes actually are, along with his attacks on stadiums, swimming pools, and sports complexes, and his ‘sports annexations.’ Sports in the rf are not autonomous; they are strictly controlled by the state and used as a political tool. This is exactly why there is absolutely no room left for ‘sports outside of politics."
"The Committee notes that the position of the European Council serves as important guidance for the International Olympic Committee and international sports federations. At the same time, the responsibility for final decisions rests with each of these organizations.
The Verkhovna Rada Committee on Youth and Sports supports a consistent international policy of barring representatives of the aggressor state from international sports competitions until the war ends, and calls upon the global sports community to be guided by the principles of justice, accountability, and respect for human life."