Official: Russians banned to compete at 2023 European Games

President of the Organizing Committee of the European Games Marcin Nowak has said that Russian and Belarusian athletes had been banned to join the 2023 European Games, despite recent statements by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Nowak added that the competition may not take place if individual federations deprive the European Games of the opportunity to qualify athletes for the Olympic Games, Gazeta.ru reports.

The European Games will be held in the cities of Poland from June 9 to 25, 2023.

On March 28, Switzerland hosted the first day of the meeting of the IOC Executive Committee, which discussed the issue of admission of Russian and Belarusian athletes to international competitions.

The IOC recommended that the Russians be allowed a neutral status if the athletes were not actively involved in supporting the fighting. Athletes representing law enforcement agencies and the armed forces will not be allowed to compete.

The IOC recommended allowing the Russians to join the games in a neutral status if the athletes were not actively involved in the support of hostilities (in Ukraine).