Russians Barred From Tokyo World Athletics Championships Amid Ukraine War
World Athletics maintains a ban on Russians until a peace settlement in Ukraine.
The World Athletics Championships opened in Tokyo on Friday, with World Athletics President Sebastian Coe reaffirming the organization’s ban on Russian athletes due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Speaking on the eve of the event, Coe stated that Russian participation will remain barred until a peace agreement is reached, maintaining a policy that sets track and field apart from other Olympic sports. Many sports, including those at the 2024 Paris Olympics, allowed Russians to compete as neutral athletes, but track and field has upheld a stricter stance.
The ban on Russian athletes stems from a decade-long history of sanctions, initially triggered by a doping scandal and cover-up surrounding the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. Although World Athletics briefly lifted the doping-related ban in 2022, it swiftly imposed a new exclusion following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, delayed to 2021 due to the pandemic, only 10 Russian athletes competed as “Authorized Neutral Athletes,” including high jump gold medalist Maria Lasitskene, who has not appeared in major international events since.
This year’s championships, held at Japan’s $1.4 billion National Stadium, will feature approximately 2,000 athletes from 200 countries. Coe expressed hope for a resolution, noting that the current exclusion is “unsustainable” for athletics and beyond. However, he emphasized that a “peaceful agreement” is necessary before any policy change. The event, running through September 21, showcases global talent but remains overshadowed by the absence of Russian competitors.
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The hard-line policy reflects World Athletics’ commitment to addressing geopolitical issues, even as it faces criticism for limiting competition. As the championships unfold, the focus will be on athletic excellence, but the ongoing ban underscores the broader challenges of balancing sport, politics, and fairness on the global stage.
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