A unanimously adopted resolution of the Seimas proposes to ban the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials in the Olympic Games or other international competitions  

Press release, 10 March 2023

The Seimas, strongly condemning the large-scale military invasion being perpetrated against Ukraine by the Russian Federation with the complicity of the Republic of Belarus; expressing its full support for Ukraine, which is fighting for its freedom, sovereignty and territorial integrity; and following one of the fundamental principles of Olympism, as enshrined in the Olympic Charter, namely to place sport at the service of the harmonious development of humankind, with a view to promoting a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity, adopted a resolution appealing to the parliaments of all countries around the world to express their clear and strong opposition to any proposals, initiatives, projects and any other actions aimed at allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials to participate in the Olympic Games or any other international competition, including under a neutral flag.

The Resolution notes that Russia and Belarus use their athletes’ participation and victories at all international competitions for propaganda purposes to legitimize their regimes.

The Seimas is convinced that the victories Russian or Belarusian athletes, even if achieved under a neutral flag, will be used for war and hate propaganda by the criminal regimes that run their states and as ‘proof’ that no real sanctions are in place and that the international situation is supposedly normalizing.

In the adopted document, the Seimas invites the Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC ) to remain consistent and committed to the principles and values of Olympism and to urge once again all international sports federations to adhere to the principles set out in the statement of 28 February 2022, and all international sports federations to take these principles into account, and urges that these principles to be extended to the Olympic Games without any reservations or further interpretations.

 “We call on the parliaments of all countries around the world to express their clear and strong opposition to any proposals, initiatives, projects and any other actions aimed at allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials to take part in the Olympic Games or any other international competition, including under a neutral flag,” said the Speaker of the Seimas, Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, when introducing the proposal of a group of Members of the Seimas.

The resolution proposes to maintain restrictions on the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials in the Olympic Games or any other international competition until such time as Russia ends its military aggression against Ukraine, withdraws its forces from within the internationally recognized borders of Ukraine’s territory, ensures accountability for the committed crime of aggression and war crimes, makes full reparation for the damage inflicted on Ukraine.

All 109 Members of the Seimas who took part in the vote voted unanimously in favour of the Resolution on Banning the Participation of Athletes from the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus in the Olympic Games and Other International Competitions.

The Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in its statement of 28 February 2022 made the following recommendation: “In order to protect the integrity of global sports competitions and for the safety of all the participants, the IOC EB recommends that International Sports Federations and sports event organizers not invite or allow the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials in international competitions”.

Prepared by

Information and Communication Department

Chief Specialist, Press Office

Saulė Eglė Trembo

Tel. +370 5 239 6203, e-mail: [email protected]