ISSF Executive Committee ratifies decision to ban Russia, Belarus from its competitions

CAIRO: Acting on the recommendation of the International Olympic Committee, the world shooting governing body's executive committee on Monday ratified its "leadership" decision to ban

Russia

and

Belarus

from all its competitions.


The ratification comes in the wake of Russia's invasion of

Ukraine

, with athletes from Belarus too banned from

ISSF

competitions because of their country's involvement in the war.

The IOC had pushed sports organisations to exclude Russian and Belarusian athletes from international events, but it left the final decision to individual governing bodies.

"The

ISSF Executive Committee

supports the IOC recommendation published on February 28th, 2022 with the aim to protect the integrity of global sports competitions and to ensure the safety of all participants," shooting's global governing body said in a statement.

"The ISSF fully supports any policy against wars as well as the IOC recommendations to not allow athletes from the Russian Federation and Belarus to take part in the ISSF Championship until further notice."

Among other declarations, the ISSF Executive Committee "strongly" condemned the "breach" of the Olympic Truce by the governments of Russia and Belarus, saying it "fully supports the official statements of the ISSF President condemning the war made at the Opening of the ISSF World Cup in Cairo, Egypt, and during the meeting of IFs Presidents with the IOC President Thomas Bach on March 1, 2022."

The Executive Committee also said it "expresses ISSF's full support to the people of Ukraine as well as the athletes and the Shooting Sport community in Ukraine, including offering humanitarian assistance to the Ukrainian shooting family to be taken from the means of the ISSF Development Fund."

The ISSF's top executive body concluded that it will "closely monitor the situation and will take further measures in collaboration with the IOC in accordance with the ISSF Constitution and the Olympic Charter, if needed."

The 2022 European Shooting Championships, which was scheduled to be held in Russia, was cancelled soon after the conflict in Ukraine escalated.