Olympic Roundup: 35 Countries Call For More Russia Sanctions; Griner Pleads Guilty

SwimSwam will periodically update you on the biggest news around the Olympic and Paralympic world, outside of aquatic sports. Read on to learn about the latest on international sports bans of Russian and Belarusian athletes, U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner’s legal proceedings in Russia, and public support for 2030 Olympic bids.

Representatives of 35 nations, including the U.S., signed a statement last week seeking more sanctions on Russia and Belarus in wake of the ongoing war against Ukraine. 

The coalition recommended that Russian and Belarusian national sports governing bodies should be suspended from international sports federations. They called for individuals closely aligned with Russian and Belarusian states, including government officials, to be removed from positions of influence on international sports federations. They also said that organizations should consider blocking broadcasts of sports competitions in Russia and Belarus. 

“Russia’s unprovoked and unjustifiable war of choice against Ukraine, facilitated by the Belarusian government, is abhorrent and a flagrant breach of its international obligations. Respect for human rights and peaceful relations between nations form the foundation of international sport,” they wrote. “We call on all international sport federations to take account of these principles, applaud all those that have taken action already, and encourage our own domestic sporting bodies to engage with their international federations to do so. These restrictions should be in place until cooperation under the rules-based international order has become possible again.”

In cases where Russians or Belarusians are allowed to compete, the group requested it be clear that they are not representing their country. Flags and national anthems should be prohibited, they said. 

The 35 signatories included 29 European countries along with Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, and the U.S. The Russian Olympic Committee issued a statement in response.

“Unfortunately, the forced escalation of anti-Russian hysteria continues, this is happening in the absence of any reaction to the widespread interference of Western state structures in the affairs of the National Olympic Committees, which are ordered to support restrictions and suspensions on a national basis, are forbidden to participate in competitions where Russians compete.”

On Tuesday, the International Ice Hockey Federation rejected Russian and Belarusian appeals against their suspension from international tournaments. Russia is considering an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Two weeks ago, Inside the Games reported that the Russian Olympic Committee along with a total of 21 Russian sports federations had filed CAS appeals to have their athletes reinstated to international competition. 

Many of those bans came in the wake of a recommendation from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on February 28. IOC president Thomas Bach met with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv last Sunday to announce that the IOC’s aid fund for Ukrainian athletes will be tripled to $7.5 million. The money figures to help with training and transportation for Paris 2024 and Milan Cortina 2026. 

Zelensky praised the IOC for maintaining its stance against Russian teams and athletes competing in most Olympic sports. 

“While Russia is trying to destroy the Ukrainian people and conquer other European countries, its representatives have no place in the world’s sports community,” Zelensky said.

Griner pleads guilty to accelerate negotiations

Two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner pleaded guilty to drug charges this week in a move experts say is actually her best chance at securing freedom. 

Russian officials have made clear that negotiations for Griner’s release can only take place after her trial is completed. The deal will likely involve the U.S. trading a Russian prisoner in exchange.

Griner has been imprisoned for 141 days. The seven-time All-Star center for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury faces up to a decade behind bars. The conviction and sentencing phases of her trial will begin next Thursday. 

“I’m terrified I might be here forever,” Griner wrote in a recent letter to U.S. President Joe Biden. “Please don’t forget about me. It hurts thinking about how I usually celebrate [Independence Day] because freedom means something completely different to me this year.”

Support growing for Vancouver 2030 bid

According to a recent online survey in British Columbia, public support for Vancouver’s 2030 Olympic bid has climbed to 54%. 

That’s way up from last December, when 45% of poll respondents were against the idea and 43% were in favor. One of the other leading candidates for the 2030 Games is Sapporo, Japan, where surveys have shown between 52% and 65% of the public in support of the bid. Salt Lake City reported a whopping 87% approval rating for its bid, but recent meetings with the IOC have led U.S. officials to believe they have a better chance in 2034 than 2030. 

The IOC is expected to narrow its search to one potential host by the end of the year.