Global Athlete Support to Ukrainian Bobsleigh and Skeleton Athletes
14 July 2022: Global Athlete lends its support to Ukrainian Bobsleigh and Skeleton athletes who are calling for the suspension of Russian and Belarusian Bobsleigh and Skeleton athletes. The international community understands that sport is political and Russia is once more using the world stage of sport to promote its agenda and inhumane presence in Ukraine.
International sporting federations have a moral and human rights obligation to end the promotion war that these athletes are partaking in by suspending Russian and Belarusian participation on the world stage.
Global Athlete stands shoulder to shoulder in support of the Ukrainian athletes' call to ban Russian and Belarusian representatives from any bobsleigh and skeleton competitions.
“This is a difficult, but an important task, to suspend both Russian and Belarusian Bobsleigh and Skeleton athletes. As seen from various sporting events across the globe, the Russian and Belarusian authorities are using their athletes’ participation in these events as state propaganda to support Russia’s and Belarus’ brutal invasion of Ukraine. These authoritarian regimes are using every ounce of their athletes’ success to justify and distract from this brutal war.
Banning Russian and Belarusian athletes will also protect these athletes who do not have the freedom of choice to remove themselves from competitions. Athletes who are linked to Russia and Belarus must follow the orders from their countries’ leaders. Failure to yield these orders will have dire consequences to their lives, careers, and sponsorships. Banning these athletes will protect them.” Rob Koehler - Global Athlete Director General.
We stand with our fellow athletes in Ukraine and urge the International Bobsleigh Skeleton Federation to act swiftly in favour of human rights and suspend all Russian and Belarusian athletes from any Bobsleigh and Skeleton competitions.
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Click here for Ukrainian Bobsleigh and Skeleton Athletes’ Open Letter.