Governments urge fresh sports sanctions against Russia over Ukraine invasion

Calls for more sports sanctions against Russia - Britain's Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries

Ministers from 37 nations signed a joint statement on Tuesday calling for additional sporting sanctions to be imposed on Russia and Belarus following the invasion of Ukraine. 

The statement, organised by the British government, followed a virtual summit convened by Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries and Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston on March 3.

"Russia's unprovoked and unjustifiable war of choice against Ukraine, enabled by the Belarusian government, is abhorrent and a flagrant breach of its international obligations," the statement said.

The statement also called for Russia and Belarus not to be permitted to "host, bid for or be awarded any international sporting events."

Welcoming the recent decision by the International Paralympic Committee to ban both Russia and Belarus athletes from the Winter Paralympics in Beijing, the statement said: "These restrictions should be in place until cooperation under the fundamental principles of international law has become possible again."

The FUR is asking the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) for a stay of execution for the suspensions, to allow Russia to play in a 2022 World Cup playoff against Poland scheduled for March 24.

The court added it would give further information on the proceedings in the next few days once it had ruled on each decision the Russians are challenging.

Ukraine were set to face Scotland at Glasgow's Hampden Park on March 24 in a play-off semi-final which will now be staged in June.

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