World Rowing rules to allow Russians to compete as neutrals in multiple disciplines
The Russian Rowing Federation said it carries on with dialogue and expects a result here as well regarding the implementation of the IOC recommendations to reinstate Russian amateur athletes without any restrictions at all
MOSCOW, February 13. /TASS/. The World Rowing Executive Committee ruled to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in international competitions in double-sculls and 8+plus under a neutral status, the press office of the Russian Rowing Federation (RRF) said in a statement on Friday.
"The extended list of disciplines and tournaments that Russian rowers will be able to compete at proves that we are moving in the right direction and even the most stubborn [sports] federations can return Russian athletes back to international tournaments without any restrictions whatsoever," the RRF statement reads.
"We also carry on with our dialogue and expect a result here as well regarding the implementation of the IOC recommendations to reinstate Russian amateur athletes without any restrictions at all," the statement added.
IOC sanctions against Russia, Belarus
On February 28, 2022, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) issued recommendations to international sports federations to prohibit athletes from Russia and Belarus from participating 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 allowing individual athletes from Russia and Belarus to participate in international sports tournaments, but only under specific 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.
On October 12, 2023, the IOC suspended the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) until further notice after the Russian organization included the Olympic councils of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR), the Zaporozhye and Kherson Regions as its members.