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Nine EU nations urge funding cut for IOC over readmitting Russian athletes

Nine EU nations urge funding cut for sports bodies including IOC over readmitting RussiansNine EU nations urge funding cut for sports bodies including IOC over readmitting Russians

Nine European nations asked the European Union to cut funding to sports bodies including the International Olympic Committee that permitted Russian and Belarusian athletes to return to competition on Tuesday.

These nations view the readmission as a failure to uphold sanctions related to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The move could pressure international sports bodies to maintain athlete exclusions or face reduced EU financial support.

  • The IOC has faced criticism since 2022 for allowing individual Russian athletes to compete under neutral flags.
  • Estonia has been a vocal advocate for excluding Russian sports figures due to its historical tensions with Russia.
  • The IOC organizes the Summer and Winter Olympics, which occur every four years in alternating cycles.
Nine EU nations urge funding cut for IOC over readmitting Russian athletes | Implica