International Canoe Federation allows Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete
The International Canoe Federation (ICF) Committee has decided to allow representatives from Russia and Belarus to compete in individual events under neutral flags.
This is stated in a statement on the official website of the ICF, Censor.NET reports.
"The committee's decision was made after lengthy consultations with members of the organisations. The ICF noted that during the discussion, special attention was paid to the safety of athletes, as requested by the organisers of the competition," the statement said.
As a reminder, the official reason for the suspension of Russian and Belarusian athletes from the competition was the IOC's "inability to guarantee the safety of these competitors".
At the same time, the ICF Committee noted that the suspension of officials from Russia and Belarus remains in force. They are banned from attending events held under the auspices of the ICF in any capacity. The organisation also noted that it continues to condemn "the actions taken by the governments of Russia and Belarus in Ukraine".
As a reminder, on 28 March, the IOC allowed athletes from Russia and Belarus to participate in international competitions, provided that they were not found to be actively supporting the war, that they would compete under a neutral flag and only in individual events.
