MINSK, November 26. /TASS/. The Russian women’s national handball team defeated Belarus on their home turf on Tuesday 43-21.
The match was held in the Belarusian capital of Minsk and the ladies will have a rematch at the same venue on November 27.
The Russian national women’s handball team won the gold medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil and the silver medal at the 2021 Summer Olympics in Japan.
IOC sanctions against Russia
On February 28, 2022, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) issued recommendations to international sports federations to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from taking part in international tournaments, citing Moscow’s special military operation in Ukraine as the reason.
Following the IOC’s recommendations in late February 2022, the majority of global sports federations decided to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from all international sports tournaments.
In late March, 2023, the IOC recommended to permit individual athletes from Russia and Belarus to take part in international sports tournaments, but only under certain conditions. Specifically, athletes from the two countries should not be "actively supporting" Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine and must compete under a neutral status. Russia and Belarus were also banned from participating in international team events.