World Athletics President Sebastian Coe Says Return Of Russian Athletes ‘Unlikely’ Earlier than Paris Olympics

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File picture of Sebastian Coe© AFP

World Athletics president Sebastian Coe mentioned Thursday it was “unlikely” that monitor and area athletes from Russia and Belarus could be welcomed again to competitors earlier than subsequent yr’s Paris Olympics. All Russian and Belarusian athletes have been banned from competitors “for the foreseeable future” since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. That features the choice of competing as a impartial. “I haven’t got a crystal ball, I observe world occasions in the identical method that you just all do,” Coe advised journalists after his re-election as head of monitor and area’s world governing physique.

“Our place could be very clear. The Council has made that place clear. The brand new Council — and I am not going to talk for them upfront — however I’d be very shocked if there’s any shift in that place We have now certainty and we have executed it for causes of integrity of competitors.”

Coe added: “We’ll in fact monitor that scenario. We have now threat committees, we’ve working teams that can all the time be desirous to be throughout that and what would possibly the circumstances appear to be if there’s any shift within the scenario however I’ve to say that appears unlikely for the time being with the place we’re with occasions in Ukraine.”

Worldwide sports activities our bodies are taking wildly various stances on permitting Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete whereas the conflict in Ukraine continues. The Worldwide Olympic Committee (IOC) says it’s but to decide on whether or not Russians can compete on the Paris Olympics subsequent yr but it surely has advisable they return to competitors.

That stance has obtained a blended welcome from federations, with Coe’s World Athletics among the many most stringent of opponents to their return ought to the battle proceed.

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