Athletics, tennis, cycling and skating harshly sanction Russia

In the absence of some disciplines speaking out and announcing new sanctions against Russian sport, little by little, the siege is tightening as a sports sanction in response to the invasion of Ukraine by Russian Army troops.

NO WORLD CUP IN BELGRADE

The Serbian capital hosts the World Indoor Athletics Championships between March 18 and 20. The highest body in world athletics, the World Athletics, formerly IAAF, decided on Tuesday to exclude Russian representatives from the championship. It happened the same day that the multinational Adidas, which was the brand that dressed the Russian team, decided to withdraw its sponsorship. The veto is also maintained for the World Outdoor Championships scheduled for July in the United States.

This Wednesday the rally in Madrid is held where the Russian athletes had signed up Mariya Lasitskeneworld and Olympic high jump champion, and sprinter Polina Miller. Both excluded themselves from the meeting.

NEW VETO AGAINST GAZPROM

The International Cycling Union (UCI) suspended Gazprom Rus Velo, the main Russian team and the only one that could participate in World Tour events, even if it was by invitation from the organization, until further notice. Before the invasion of Ukraine, this squad had received two wild cards from the Tirreno Adriatico, which starts next Monday, and from the Volta a Catalunya, which starts on the 21st of this month. Precisely, this Tuesday, also, Gazprom saw how the French manufacturer Look, withdrew the bicycles with which it competed. And so did the Corima firm, which left them without wheels. On the World Tour there are only two top-level Russian runners, Pavel Sivakov, at Ineos and the first athlete from his country who spoke out against the war, and Alexander Vlasov, in Bora, and recent winner of the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana. The UCI lets them run, although without wearing symbols of their country. However, both can see how France (Paris-Nice starts on Sunday) also closes the door if the Macron administration prevents Russian athletes from competing.

WITHOUT SKATING WORLD CUP

The French city of Montpellier hosts the World Figure Skating Championship between March 21 and 27, where the Russians are the world’s leading power. They will not go. This was determined on Tuesday by the International Skating Union (ISU) that left without ice any representative not only from Russia but also from Belarus. The sanction leaves out of the great events of this sport, among others, the Olympic champion Anna Shcherbakova and to the sensation of this sport, regardless of the doubts about her positive, Kamila Valieva.

Related news

OUT OF THE DAVIS CUP

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) has suspended the Russian and Belarusian federations from competitions organized by the ITF, leading to their expulsion from the Davis Cup and the Billy Jean King Cup. Russia is the current champion of both the Davis Cup, which they won in Madrid, and the Billie Jean King Cup, which they won in Prague. This announcement comes after the ITF also announced the suspension of all tournaments taking place on Russian soil. The ATP, for its part, has not yet made an official statement on the future of Russian tennis players. The main affected before any sanction is the current number one in the world, Daniel Medvedev, apart from his declarations in favor of peace. The finalist from Australia should be headlining in Indian Wells, starting on March 14. Also, the Ukrainian Elina Svitolin He announced this Tuesday that he will not face any Russian or Belarusian rival that crosses his path in the next tournaments he plays.