APPEAL Of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to the International Olympic Committee and the governing bodies of international sports federations on the recommendation on the ban on the participation of athletes of the russian federation and the Republic of Belarus in international competitions and the exclusion of citizens of the russian federation and the Republic of Belarus from the governing bodies of these organisations

For 55 days now, Ukraine and the entire Ukrainian people, have been resisting the full-scale armed aggression of the russian federation accompanied by unprecedented brutal war crimes, crimes against humanity, and crimes of genocide.

The troops of the russian federation are blockading, shelling and destroy Ukrainian cities, villages, settlements. They are also killing, torturing and maiming not only adult civilians but also even children. According to the Unified Register of Pre-Trial Investigations and other sources, hundreds of children have been killed and thousands more injured since the russian invasion of Ukraine began. And this is only official data.

In recent weeks, the world has been stunned by the horrific massacres of civilians in Bucha, Irpin, Hostomel, Borodyanka and other occupied cities, villages and towns in the Kyiv region, sexual crimes. The russian armed forces are raping minors and adolescents, let alone women.

As a result of a targeted missile strike by the aggressor on the Kramatorsk railway station in the Donetsk region on 8 April, 2022, more than 50 people were killed, including 5 children, more than 100 people, including 16 children, were injured. Thousands of people were waiting at the train station to be evacuated to safer regions of Ukraine.

Such barbaric actions aimed at the genocide of the Ukrainian people may not go unpunished. Today, the reaction of the world community, including the sports circles, determines when the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine will be stopped, when the bombing of the peaceful Ukrainian cities, mass murders of civilians, and massacres of children will stop.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) immediately responded to russia's aggression. In its decisions of 24 February and 25 February 2022, the IOC strongly condemned the violation by the russian authorities of the Olympic armistice, as well as:
called on international sports federations to postpone or cancel sporting events planned in russia and the Republic of Belarus;
stated its unequivocal position that it does not plan to hold sports events in the russian federation and the Republic of Belarus;
called not to fly state flags and not to play the national anthems of the russian federation and the Republic of Belarus at international sports competitions.
In addition, by its decision of 28 February 2022, the IOC:
recommended that international sports federations and organisers of sporting events not invite or allow the participation of russian and Belarusian athletes and officials in international competitions;
took a special decision to revoke the Olympic Order from high-ranking officials in the government and other state bodies of the russian federation, including president vladimir putin, deputy prime minister dmitry chernyshenko, deputy chief of staff dmitry kozak.
As a result, more than 100 international sports federations have excluded athletes from the russian federation and the Republic of Belarus from participating in international competitions, World and European championships.

Since the first days of the war, the International Olympic Committee has been supporting the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine and Ukrainian athletes. The Solidarity Fund was immediately established to support Ukrainian athletes and their families. Since its inception, nearly $2 million has been allocated to support the Athletes, Coaches and their Families Fund, aimed at inter alia the evacuation of athletes, coaches and their families from hazardous areas affected by hostilities, housing in safe areas, food, medical care, medicine and everything else that athletes, coaches and their families need. We thank the International Olympic Committee and its President Thomas Bach for supporting Ukrainian sport and showing solidarity in difficult times for the Ukrainian state.
The Olympic Committees of Europe have decided to ban the participation of athletes and officials of the russian federation and the Republic of Belarus in the XV European Winter Youth Olympic Festival (Vuokatti, Finland, March 20-25, 2022).

At the same time, some international sports federations have allowed athletes from the russian federation and the Republic of Belarus to participate in sports competitions under a neutral flag, which in fact means impunity for criminal acts of these states.

In view of the above, in connection with the armed aggression of the russian federation against Ukraine, accompanied by unprecedented brutal war crimes, crimes against humanity, acts of genocide, given the systematic violations of the UN Charter, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine addresses the International Olympic Committee:
- to decide on the temporary, until the end of the armed aggression of the russian federation against Ukraine, including the withdrawal of troops from all over Ukraine and the issue of compensation for damages caused by the russian federation, suspension of recognition by the International Olympic Committee of the National Olympic Committees of the russian federation and Belarus;
- to exclude citizens of the russian federation and the Republic of Belarus from the International Olympic Committee;
- to appeal to international sports federations to take the initiative to consider:

temporary, until the end of the armed aggression of the russian federation against Ukraine, including the withdrawal of troops from all over Ukraine and resolving the issue of compensation by the russian federation for losses and damages to Ukraine, suspension of membership of sports federations of the russian federation and Belarus in relevant international sports federations;
exclusion of citizens of the russian federation and the Republic of Belarus from the governing bodies of international sports federations, prohibition of their participation in international sports competitions, including as judges or coaches;
disqualification of athletes who supported the armed aggression of the russian federation against Ukraine, for life.

We call for solidarity with the Ukrainian people and support for Ukraine in defending its state sovereignty and territorial integrity.