The World Badminton Federation (BWF) left in force the ban on athletes from Russia and Belarus to participate in international tournaments, Reuters reports.

>> War in Ukraine, day 422: All the events of Friday, April 21 – LiveText on HotNews.ro.

The World Badminton Federation does not allow Russians and Belarusians to return to the competition

The BWF first banned Russian and Belarusian athletes last March following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The BWF’s decision comes despite the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommending last month that athletes from Russia and Belarus be allowed to return to competition as neutrals if they do not support the war.

Table tennis, fencing, judo and taekwondo are among the Olympic sports that have reinstated athletes from the two countries as neutrals.

The BWF said in a statement that the decision to extend the ban was made at a board meeting on Tuesday.

“The BWF recognizes that sport should promote peace and solidarity between all people and that sport should not become a political vehicle for influence in geopolitics.

In this regard, the guiding principle is that athletes should always be allowed to compete in sports without being judged on their passport and separate from any geopolitical conflict beyond the control of the sports movement.

However… the BWF is not convinced that there are now satisfactory grounds for lifting the disqualification of the Russian and Belarusian players and officials.

The BWF continues to express its unwavering support to the Ukrainian people and the Ukrainian badminton community, and we strongly condemn the invasion of Ukraine, which is contrary to the core values ​​of the BWF and our goal of achieving peace.” – Badminton World Federation. the statement says..

Qualification for next year’s Olympic Games in Paris will be based on results obtained in badminton tournaments from May 1, 2023 to April 28, 2024.

>> The WTA management is against the return of Russians and Belarusians to international competitions