Athletics
Factbox: Sports react to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
A summary of some measures taken by sports federations following the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) recommendations to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials from competing in events and to move or cancel any events set to take place in the two countries.
Belarus has been a key staging area for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
ARCHERY
World Archery said it would remove Russian and Belarusian flags and anthems from all international tournaments.
It added there are no events planned in the two countries and no future events would take place there.
ATHLETICS
World Athletics banned Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials from all events for the foreseeable future, and added that its council also agreed to consider further measures, including the suspension of the Belarus Federation.
BADMINTON
The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has banned all athletes and officials representing Russia and Belarus from participating in its events.
The decision follows the cancellation of all BWF events which should have taken place in the two countries and represents a step-up from its previous ban on Russian and Belarusian flags and anthems at the federation’s events.
BASKETBALL
The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) said it would ban Russian athletes and officials from its competitions until further notice.
FIBA’s top board will meet on March 25 to discuss whether to take further measures.
Euroleague Basketball suspended Russian teams CSKA Moscow, UNICS Kazan, Zenit St Petersburg, and Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar from participating in its championships.
“Should the situation not evolve in a favourable way, all regular season games versus Russian teams to be annulled to configure the leagues’ standings,” it said in a statement.
It also froze its sponsorship deal with Russia’s VTB Bank.
BIATHLON
The International Biathlon Union (IBU) said it would not allow athletes to represent Russia and Belarus at its events but would invite individual athletes from these countries to compete as neutrals.
CLIMBING
The International Sport Climbing Federation (IFSC) suspended the Boulder and Speed World Cup scheduled for April in Moscow.
It added it plans to relocate the event.
CURLING
The World Curling Federation proposed the introduction of a new rule which, if approved, would allow the federation to ban Russia from the upcoming World Championships.
It had previously resolved to move the 2022 European Curling Championship away from Russian city Perm.
EQUESTRIAN
The International Equestrian Federation (FEI) executive board called for all international events to be removed from Russia and Belarus.
FENCING
The International Fencing Federation (FIE) said it had implemented the IOC’s recommendation from Feb. 25 to move or cancel events in Russia and Belarus, adding that further discussions on the matter were taking place. read more
Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov resigned from his post as FIE president citing European Union restrictions following Russia’s invasion. read more
GYMNASTICS
The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) cancelled all its events in Russia and Belarus, adding it would not allocate other events to the two countries until further notice.
“The Russian and Belarusian national flags must not be displayed, and the Russian and Belarusian anthems must not be played at any FIG-sanctioned events until further notice,” it said.
FIELD HOCKEY
The International Hockey Federation (FIH) excluded Russia from the Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup, which will take place in April in South Africa.
ICE HOCKEY
The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) banned Russian and Belarusian national teams and clubs from its competitions until further notice.
It also revoked Russia’s hosting rights to the 2023 World Junior Championship and will look for a new host in the next months.
JUDO
The International Judo Federation (IJF) cancelled the Grand Slam in Kazan, Russia, which should have taken place in May.
It also suspended Russian president Vladimir Putin’s status as honorary president and ambassador of the IJF.
KARATE
The World Karate Federation said it would relocate the 2022 Karate1-Premier League, originally schedule to take place in Moscow in October, to a new location.
MODERN PENTATHLON
The international modern pentathlon union (UIPM) said it would not allow Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials to take part in its competitions.
MOTOR RACING
Formula One said it would not race in Russia this season, saying it was “impossible” to do so after the country invaded neighbouring Ukraine.
A race scheduled for Sept. 25 at Sochi’s Olympic park will be dropped from the calendar for the first time since it debuted in 2014.
Motorsports’ governing body FIA condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine but said Russian and Belarusian drivers could compete in a neutral capacity, as long as they committed to its principles of peace and political neutrality.
ROWING
World Rowing banned Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials from its international competitions until further notice.
RUGBY
World Rugby banned Russia and Belarus from all international rugby and cross-border club rugby activities until further notice.
It also suspended the World Rugby membership of the rugby union of Russia until further notice.
SKATING
The International Skating Union said Russian and Belarusian skaters could no longer be invited or allowed to take part in international ice skating competitions.
SKIING
The International Skiing Federation (FIS) said Russian and Belarusian athletes will not participate in its competitions for the rest of the 2021-2022 season.
It also cancelled the remaining 2021-2022 events that were initially meant to take place in Russia.
SURFING
The International Surfing Association (ISA) said no athletes and officials from Russia would be invited to participate or attend its events until further notice.
SOCCER
FIFA and UEFA suspended Russia’s national teams and clubs from international football, a move which makes it likely that Russia will be excluded from this year’s World Cup and the women’s Euro 2020 tournament.
SQUASH
The World Squash Federation said it would relocate the 2022 World Junior Championship from St Petersburg to a different location.
SWIMMING
Swimming global governing body FINA called off the World Junior Swimming Championships that were to take place in Kazan, Russia.
TAEKWONDO
World Taekwondo said no Russian nor Belarusian flags and anthems would be displayed and played at its events, adding it would not also organise nor recognise events in Russia and Belarus.
It also revoked the honorary 9th dan black belt conferred to Putin in November 2013.
TENNIS
Tennis’s international governing bodies said Russian and Belarusian players could continue to compete in international events and the Grand Slams but no longer under the name or flag of their nations until further notice.
The International Tennis Federation (ITF) cancelled all of its events in Russia and Belarus.
It also suspended the countries’ ITF memberships, banning their federations from ITF international team competition until further notice.
VOLLEYBALL
World volleyball’s governing body FIVB said all Russian and Belarusian teams, clubs, officials, and athletes were not eligible to participate in international and continental events until further notice.
-Reuters
BY DAPO SOTUMINU
Nigeria’s Francis James and Blessing Shambaz yesterday emerged winners of the 2nd Lotus Bank Abeokuta 10km Race to go home with the winners prize money of $1,000 in a race that was officially flagged off by the First vice president of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, Chief Solomon Ogba, and supported by Mr. Nadin Khan, the president of the World Ultra Running.
James won the men’s race finishing at 30minutes 11seconds to beat all opponents to consolidate on his victory in Abuja when he finished second best in the half marathon held in the Federal Capital Territory middle of the year.
James also emerged the Nigeria’s winner of the World class half marathon.
It will be recalled that James at his last major race in Abuja finished second place in a national half marathon race. He stressed that he used that race to prepare for the Lotus Bank Abeokuta Race and he was very happy winning the race.
He stressed that, the victory at Lotus Bank Abeokuta 10m Race has given him the confidence to do better in others races coming up in Nigeria and its an indication, that he’s very close to making history for Nigeria in subsequent marathon races. He added that, Nigerian runners will pull surprise in the others races not minding the attendance of the East Africans.
In second place for the men’s race is Gyang Raymond at a time of 30 minutes 14 seconds. Gyang got $750 for his effort. While the third place winner is Gyang David Boyi at 30 minutes 54 seconds. Boyi got a cash prize of $500.
In the women 10km race, the runners up that placed second was Daylop Patience at a time of 36minutes 98.28seconds to keep her position in last year’s edition. She got $750.
Third place winner is Agofure Charity at 37minutes 88 seconds.She got $500.
The overall 10km also saw the race by special athletes.
The route of the Lotus Bank Abeokuta Race wore a very active look this morning with the active presence of Febbs table water, a part sponsor of the event.
The volunteers on each points on the route all had Febbs Water on their hands ready to hand them over the runners. The organisers decorated all the runners that crossed the finish line with gold medals, this added to the fanfare and celebrations at the Alake Palace finish line of the race.
The Diamond League will increase its prize money to more than $9 million in 2025, the highest in the history of the series, the organisers have said.
Athletes will make a total of $18 million, with top athletes also receiving promotional fees. Male and female athletes will be paid at the same rate, the Diamond League said in a statement.
“The new total is almost a third higher than the sum paid during the pandemic-affected period of 2021-2024,” the statement said, adding that more will be invested in the athletes’ travel, transport, accommodation, medical and physio services.
Each of the 14 Diamond League meets of the 2025 regular season, scheduled to kick off in April, will award a total prize money of $500,000, with the final in August offering $2.24 million.
“The total prize money per discipline will be between $30,000 and $50,000 at the series meetings and between $60,000 and $100,000 at the final,” the statement added.
The Diamond League’s 2024 season concluded in Brussels last week, with Zurich set to host the 2025 final.
The news comes after World Athletics ended a 128-year tradition by paying Olympic champions at the Paris Games $50,000 each and as rival track events try to muscle in on the circuit long seen as the standard-bearer for professional athletics.
Retired American sprinting great Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track will offer prize money ranging from $100,000 for the winner to $10,000 for the eighth-place finisher at each of four “slams” when the league launches next year.
It will distribute a total of $12.6 million in prize money in 2025.
“In a league of our own,” Grand Slam Track wrote in a post on X, opens new tab on Wednesday, with a breakdown of their prize money.
-Reuters
A record 6,000 runners, local and international from across the African continent and Nigeria have registered for the second edition of the Lotus Bank Abeokuta 10km Run slated for September 28, 2024, as the organisers, Nilayo Sports Management Limited guns for a bronze label status for the race.
The Chief Operating Officer of Nilayo Sports Management Limited, Ebidowie Oweifie, noted that the theme of this year’s edition of the Abeokuta 10km Race titled ‘For Greatness’ out is out to commemorate the birthday anniversary of the Egba paramount ruler, the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo 111, the 10km Run will flag off at Iyana Oloke at 6am and finish at The Alake Palace, Abeokuta.
Kenya’s Peter Nwaniki is the men’s race defending champion at a time of 28 minutes 14 seconds, while Shamila Kipsirir also of Kenya is the women’s defending champion.
Nigeria’s race men’s defending champion is Francis James at 31minutes 08seconds, while the women’s defending champion is Patience Daylop at 36 minutes 31 seconds.
The second edition of Abeokuta10km Race will be sponsored by Lotus Bank, FEBBS Premium Water, Fatgbems Petroleum Limited and Cash Token.
NFF Communication director unfolds 20 Points of a 20-hour ordeal on Libyan soil
African football legends, Adebayor and Aubameyang condemn Libya’s treatment of Super Eagles
BREAKING! CAF wades into the Libya-Nigeria Airport episode
Breaking! Uzoho suspended from Super Eagles’ next match with Sierra Leone
No longer Super League as CAF changes name of its new clubs competition
AIU releases its report on Tobi Amusan
-
Uncategorized1 week ago
Players boycott Libyan national team
-
AFCON4 days ago
Billiat’s penalty seals Zimbabwe’s 1-0 win over Namibia
-
AFCON1 week ago
Eguavoen unfolds Super Eagles’ squad for back-to-back duel with Libya
-
AFCON6 days ago
Facts & Figures as AFCON 2025 qualifiers enter Matchday 3
-
AFCON5 days ago
AFCON 2025 in Morocco: Everything you need to know
-
AFCON5 days ago
Libya’s captain, Faisal Al-Badri alleges poor treatment in Nigeria
-
Uncategorized6 days ago
CAF compels Kwasi Appiah to step down from Ghana FA
-
Uncategorized1 week ago
Fastest World Cup final scorer is dead!