The International Biathlon Union (IBU) has reaffirmed that Russian athletes will remain barred from its competitions, despite the International Olympic Committee's recent recommendations easing restrictions on Russian participation in international sports.
In a statement released from its headquarters, the governing body said it had reviewed the IOC's updated guidance regarding the participation of Russian athletes but would not alter its own policy. “The International Biathlon Union has taken note of the IOC’s decision on its ‘recommendations to international federations regarding the participation of Russian athletes in international competitions,’” the IBU said, adding that its position remains unchanged and that the resolution adopted by its 2022 congress continues to apply.
Following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, many international sports federations suspended Russian athletes and officials. While some organizations later allowed competitors to return under a neutral status, others have maintained complete bans.
The IOC has recently moved toward easing some of those restrictions. On Tuesday, its Executive Board temporarily lifted the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), which had been imposed in October 2023 after the ROC recognized regional Olympic councils in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories.
