Baltic states and Ukraine condemn IOC decision on Russian athletes
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Ukraine's Olympic committees have condemned the International Olympic Committee's decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their national flags, urging international federations and the EU to take action.
Estonia's Olympic Committee (EOK), together with its counterparts in Latvia, Lithuania, and Ukraine, issued a statement condemning the recent International Olympic Committee (IOC) decision. The decision allows Russian and Belarusian athletes to return to competition under their own national flags. Previously, these athletes had competed under a neutral status in IOC-sanctioned events. The IOC ruling paves the way for potential participation in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics under their own flags.
The heads of the Baltic Olympic committees met in Riga on Thursday to discuss joint cooperation and strengthening collaboration within the Baltic Olympic movement. Discussions covered the position of the Baltic states and Ukraine on the IOC announcement. EOK President Erich Teigamägi, after meeting with his Latvian and Lithuanian counterparts Raimonds Lazdins and Daina Gudzinevičiūtė, expressed hope that international sports federations and the European Union would do everything possible to ensure Russians do not return to competition anytime soon, especially not under their own flag and symbols.
Together with Ukrainian NOK President Vadym Gutzeit, the leaders agreed that responsibility must not be shifted onto national sports federations or individual athletes. If athletes refuse to compete alongside Russian or Belarusian competitors due to conscience, they would be cut off from the international sporting community, lose essential competitive experience, and in the long term, it would not protect any democratic country's interests. Teigamägi stated that such a solution is not sustainable and that athletes are advised to continue competing and winning. The Baltic states will continue to bar representatives of Russia or Belarus from entering their countries and do not consider it right for their athletes to travel to compete in Russia or Belarus.
The meeting also discussed the concept of the Baltic House, which will open during the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics as a joint representation and meeting venue for the three Baltic countries. It was agreed to include Ukraine as a guest of honor. Ukraine's youth team preparations ahead of the Dakar Youth Olympic Games were also discussed, and the Latvian Olympic committee presented anti-malarial medicines as a gift to Ukraine from all three Baltic states.
Earlier this month, the EOK condemned as "disgraceful" the IOC's decision to provisionally lift its suspension on Russian and Belarusian athletes, allowing them to compete under national flags. The suspension was introduced in 2023 following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Estonia has also appealed to the European Commission to bar EU funding to the IOC and its affiliated bodies.
