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
Athletics
Record 6000 runners register for 2nd Lotus Bank Abeokuta 10km Run
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.
Athletics
Behold, CAS statement on Tobi Amusan
Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan is the winner as the Court of Arbitration for Sports, CAS has rejected the appeals filed by World Athletics and WADA.
The decision confirms the decision taken by the World Athletics disciplinary tribunal finding that Tobi Amusan did not commit any anti-doping rule violation.
Here is the full statement of CAS.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has dismissed the appeals filed by
World Athletics (WA) and by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) against the decision issued on 17 August 2023 (the Challenged Decision) by the World Athletics Disciplinary Tribunal (WADT) in relation to the hurdler Oluwatobiloba (Tobi) Amusan (Nigeria).
Accordingly, the Challenged Decision in which the WADT considered that Tobi Amusan did not violate Rule 2.4 of the WA Anti-Doping Rules (WA ADR) and that no period of ineligibility should be imposed on the Athlete is confirmed.
The Athlete was initially charged with committing an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) under Rule 2.4 WA ADR following three alleged Whereabouts Failures within a 12-month period.
In their respective appeal to CAS, WA and WADA had sought the imposition of a two-year period of ineligibility. The CAS Panel held a hearing on 19 January 2024. Having deliberated, the CAS Panel has issued its decision today dismissing both appeals. The CAS Panel unanimously acknowledged that the Athlete committed two filing failures but did not confirm the existence of a missed test, alleged by WA and WADA, which would have been the third Whereabouts Failure committed within a 12-month
period. Accordingly, the CAS Panel concluded that the Athlete did not commit an ADRV and that the Challenged Decision should be confirmed.
The reasoned award will be published by CAS unless the parties request confidentiality.
Athletics
Tobi Amusan floors WADA and World Athletics!
Nigeria’s Paris 2024 medal hopeful, Tobi Amusan has been cleared as the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) has dismissed the appeal filed by World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the World Athletics.
She is therefore cleared to feature at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Amusan is the 100m hurdles world record holder.
The athlete was charged in July last year with missing three anti-doping tests in 12 months but was cleared of the offence by the Disciplinary Tribunal of the sport’s governing body, World Athletics.
The Integrity Unit of the World Athletics appealed the clearance which has now been dismissed by CAS, the final arbiter in the case.
CAS in its statement remarked that its panel “unanimously acknowledged that the athlete committed two filing failures but did not confirm the existence of a missed test, alleged by WA and WADA, which would have been the third Whereabouts Failure committed within 12 months.”
Amusan set the world record of 12.12 seconds in the world championships in Eugene, Oregon, in July 2022 and went on to win the title.
She finished sixth in the world championships in Budapest last year.
World Athletics’ anti-doping rules say any athlete failing to declare their whereabouts for a doping test on three occasions over 12 months is ineligible to compete for two years.
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