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The Russian Athletics Federation expressed deep disappointment on Saturday after World Athletics (WA) decided to maintain its ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes.
World Athletics confirmed on Friday that the restrictions would remain in place four years after the invasion of Ukraine.
WA President Sebastian Coe stated that the council chose to uphold the sanctions to protect the integrity and fairness of their competitions, noting that peace negotiations have not yet materialised.
In response, Russia’s athletics body called the decision discriminatory and argued that it violates Olympic principles and current global sports trends.
The federation expressed particular concern that an entire generation of young athletes will lose the opportunity to compete at a high international level.
While organisations like World Gymnastics and the International Skating Union have started lifting restrictions or allowing neutral participation, WA refuses to budge.
World Athletics countered by highlighting how the ongoing conflict severely compromises the ability of Ukrainian athletes to train and compete, despite support from a dedicated WA fund.
While Coe noted that sports should not block Russia’s return once a peace agreement is reached, he emphasised that personal experiences, such as witnessing medical trains arriving in Kyiv, prevent him from remaining neutral on the matter.
