The Russians and the Belarusians are not allowed to take off. Acute list of committees

The National Olympic Committees of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia in an acute letter to the president of the IKOl Kirsty Coventry protested against recommendations to soften the rules for the start of Russian and Belarusian athletes.

The heads of committees pointed out that athletics in Russia and Belarus is simply a tool of state propaganda, and Olympic neutrality cannot justify a deficiency of moral responsibility. In their view, the credibility of the Olympic movement depends on defending peace, global law and human dignity. athletics cannot service “the normalization of war”. Representatives of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia besides stressed that allowing Russian and Belarusian players under national flags, with hymns and in squad rivalry would be unacceptable as long as aggression on Ukraine continues.

The protest is simply a reaction to the ICC position of 11 December, in which the organisation advocated abolishing restrictions on young athletes from Russia and Belarus and allowing them to take off as representatives of states. At the same time, the ICC has maintained the current strict rules for seniors – including those which are only in neutral colours – which are to apply besides during the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.