Norway to ban entry for Russian and Belarusian athletes due to war against Ukraine
The Norwegian government has decided to tighten restrictions on the entry of Russian and Belarusian professional athletes and their support staff. They will not be allowed into the country to participate in international competitions as long as Russia's war against Ukraine continues.
This was reported by the Norwegian government, according to Censor.NET.
The Norwegian Ministry of Justice and Public Security will instruct the Directorate of Immigration (UDI) and the Police Directorate (POD) to deny entry to Russian and Belarusian professional athletes and members of their teams who are arriving to participate in sporting events.
The new rules will take effect shortly.
Justice Minister Astri Os-Hansen noted that Norway already enforces strict visa restrictions on citizens of Russia and Belarus, but is now further tightening its entry rules.
The Norwegian government emphasized that Russian professional sports are closely linked to the Russian government and state institutions. Therefore, the participation of Russian athletes in international competitions cannot be viewed separately from the aggression against Ukraine.
Officials in Oslo also reiterated that Belarus supports Russia and is aiding the war effort.
"As Russia continues its brutal and aggressive war, the government does not want Russian and Belarusian professional athletes and their support staff to come to Norway to participate in international sporting events," said Minister of Culture and Equality Lubna Jaffery.
The decision was made as international sports federations began easing restrictions. In particular, some organizations allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under a neutral flag, while others lifted the restrictions entirely.
The new rules may affect the participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus in World Cup events, particularly the ski jumping competitions in Lillehammer scheduled for November 20–22.
