World Athletics has reaffirmed its decision to keep Russian and Belarusian athletes excluded from international competition, saying there has been no meaningful progress towards peace in Ukraine.
The decision was confirmed on Friday by the World Athletics Council, four years after sanctions were first imposed following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The ban remains in place despite discussions within the governing body about possible options for the future participation of athletes from the two countries.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said the original rationale for the sanctions remained valid.
“We presented options for the Council to consider on this matter; the original decision remains on the sanctions that protect the integrity and fairness of our competitions, with no tangible movement towards peace negotiations having materialised,” Coe said in a statement.
The decision means Russian and Belarusian athletes will continue to be barred from World Athletics competitions despite previous changes to other restrictions affecting Russian athletics.
In 2023, World Athletics voted to lift an eight-year doping suspension imposed on the Russian Athletics Federation. However, the separate sanctions linked to the war in Ukraine remained in force, preventing Russian athletes from returning to international competition.
Friday's decision confirms that distinction, with the organisation continuing to treat the Ukraine-related ban as a separate matter from anti-doping sanctions.
The announcement comes amid a broader debate within international sport over the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes.
Two months ago, the International Olympic Committee removed all restrictions on Belarusian athletes, paving the way for their return to international competition. Belarus has faced international scrutiny because its territory was used as a staging ground for Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
In another recent development, a limited number of Russian para athletes were permitted to compete under the Russian flag at the Milano Cortina Winter Paralympics earlier this year.
World Athletics, however, has maintained a stricter stance than some other sporting organisations.
In explaining its decision, World Athletics also pointed to the continuing impact of the war on Ukrainian athletes and sporting infrastructure.
The governing body said the conflict has severely affected Ukraine's ability to train and compete, with damage to athletics facilities and disruption to sporting activities continuing across the country.
According to World Athletics, “the ability of Ukraine and its athletes to train and compete remains severely compromised”.
Friday's ruling means Russian and Belarusian athletes remain excluded from World Athletics events for the foreseeable future.
While other international federations have gradually eased some restrictions, World Athletics said the absence of progress towards a peaceful resolution of the conflict means the sanctions remain necessary to protect what it described as the integrity and fairness of competition.
The decision underlines the continuing divisions within global sport over how to balance sporting participation with the political and humanitarian consequences of the war in Ukraine.
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