International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach insisted on Friday, AFP reported, that sports sanctions imposed on Russia and Belarus over their invasion of Ukraine should remain in place in 2023.

Bach also noted that Ukrainian athletes have full solidarity with the Olympic movement and that the IOC wants to see a strong Ukrainian team at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Russia invaded Ukraine from its territory and that of Belarus on February 24, three days after the closing ceremony of the 2022 Beijing Winter Games, violating the Olympic Truce (which runs from the week before the Games to the week after the Games). the end of the Paralympic Games).

The IOC imposed sanctions on Moscow and Minsk: since then, international sports events are not organized and held in Russia and Belarus, and the national symbols of these countries are not displayed during sports competitions.

“These sanctions against the states and governments of Russia and Belarus must and will remain in force,” Bach said in his New Year’s message.

“We express our support and solidarity to athletes and members of the Ukrainian Olympic community all over the world,” he continued.