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The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has called on sports federations to ban Russia from international sports events following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The recommendation could trigger further announcements with FIFA in “advanced discussions” to expel Russia from the 2022 World Cup, a source with knowledge of the talks told AFP.
Russia is due to take part in the play-offs next month, but plans to play on neutral territory were dismissed as “unacceptable” by their rivals Poland, Sweden and the Czech Republic.
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The IOC said it faced a “dilemma which cannot be solved”.
“While athletes from Russia and Belarus would be able to continue to participate in sports events, many athletes from Ukraine are prevented from doing so because of the attack on their country,” it said in a statement.
“To protect the integrity of global sports competitions and for the safety of all the participants, the IOC EB (executive board) recommends that International Sports Federations and sports event organisers not invite or allow the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials in international competitions.”
If international federations follow the IOC’s advice en masse Russia would join the Yugoslavia of Slobodan Milosevic and South Africa under apartheid rule as major sporting pariahs.
The IOC also withdrew the Olympic Order, its highest award, from all high-ranking Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin.
If it is not possible for “organisational or legal reasons” to prevent Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing, the IOC called on sports officials to do “everything in their power” to stop them from taking part under their country’s flag.
It is a matter of urgency concerning the Paralympic Winter Games, which begin Friday in Beijing.
“Wherever, in very extreme circumstances, even this is not possible on short notice for organisational or legal reasons, the IOC EB leaves it to the relevant organisation to find its way” to address the situation, the IOC said.
The body “reiterated its full support for the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the Games.”
An IPC governing board meeting is due to take place on Wednesday, after which a press conference will be held in the Chinese capital, said IPC head of communications Philip Dorwald.
The IOC last week urged all international sports federations to cancel forthcoming events in Russia, angry at Moscow violating an “Olympic Truce” with its attack on Ukraine.
The organisation went on to praise the “many calls for peace by athletes, sports officials and members of the worldwide Olympic Community”.
“The IOC admires and supports in particular the calls for peace by Russian athletes,” it added.
Prominent Russian sports stars have not been shy in voicing their disquiet over Putin’s invasion.
Andrey Rublev, who won the Dubai ATP title on Saturday, veteran Russian football international Fedor Smolov, United States-based ice hockey great Alex Ovechkin and cyclist Pavel Sivakov, who rides for the Ineos team have all expressed a desire for peace.
Several countries had already moved to bar Russian competitors from their territory.
UEFA has stripped Saint Petersburg of hosting this season’s Champions League final on May 28 at the Gazprom Arena, awarding it to Paris.
Russian gas giant Gazprom’s contract with European football’s governing body is also in the balance. A source confirmed reports that UEFA’s executive committee had asked their lawyers at Friday’s emergency meeting to launch the process to terminate the contract.
The Formula One Russian Grand Prix scheduled for September 25 has been cancelled as well.