Ukrainian athletes were banned from participating in competitions, which will allow athletes from Russia or Belarus. This decision was taken by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. It was announced on the air of the nationwide telethon by Minister of the Cabinet of Ministers Oleg Nemchinov.
According to him, the idea of a ban was put forward by the Minister of Youth and Sports, President of the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Ukraine Vadym Gutzeit. According to the restrictions, Ukrainian sports federations may be deprived of their international status if they participate in competitions where there are Russians and Belarusians. The new rules also apply to the Olympics, which will be held in Paris next year.
The decision of the Ukrainian Cabinet followed the IOC's statement about the possibility of admitting Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in the next Olympic Games. On March 28, the executive committee of the organization recommended that international federations allow those who do not support the war in Ukraine to the tournaments as neutral participants. However, these are only recommendations – the IOC will make a formal decision later.