Lithuania’s Minister of Education, Science and Sport Gintautas Jakštas is holding a meeting on Monday to discuss possible ways to prevent Russian and Belarusian athletes from participating in international competitions.
“The minister has invited representatives of Lithuanian sports federations and organisations to discuss the existing ways to prevent Russian and Belarusian athletes from entering international sports competitions,” Nomeda Barauskienė, the head of the ministry’s Communications Department, told BNS.
It was reported earlier this month that the IOC gave the green light to the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes under a neutral flag in the Paris Olympics next year, except in team events, if they do not actively support the war in Ukraine. Only eight athletes from Russia and three athletes from Belarus currently qualify as neutral athletes, the IOC says.
This decision has caused outrage in some countries, and the presidents of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have called the decision disappointing and expressed hope it will be reversed.
Russian and Belarusian athletes have been sanctioned in many sports since February 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine. However, several Olympic federations have eased restrictions on athletes from these countries over the past year and allowed them to return to competition under certain conditions.
In March, the International Olympic Committee lifted the total ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes and allowed them to compete as neutral athletes, provided they do not support the conflict in Ukraine and are not linked to the military.
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