No Russian representation in global sports until war ends – Ukraine’s statement at UN

According to an Ukrinform correspondent in New York, this was stated by Dmytro Tymoshenko, First Secretary of Ukraine’s Permanent Mission, at the debate of the UN General Assembly on the resolution “Building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal”.

The statement notes that sport has the capacity to unite people and strengthen societal resilience, but this role has been “gravely undermined by Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine.” Tymoshenko stressed that Moscow’s aggression has disrupted the training of Ukrainian athletes, led to the cancellation or postponement of numerous events, restricted access to training facilities and caused the partial or complete destruction of sports infrastructure.

According to him, Russia “has killed at least 644 members of Ukraine’s sports community, injured 20 others, while 20 remain in captivity and 13 are missing.” At least 799 sports facilities have been damaged by strikes, 180 of them completely destroyed. He emphasized that Belarus “has actively assisted Russia in committing these crimes.”

The international community must “maintain the suspension of Russian and Belarusian athletes from international sports competitions,” as allowing these delegations “would undermine the integrity of sport as a contributor to peace” and would effectively signal silent approval of the killings of Ukrainian athletes, the statement says.

Ukraine welcomed the International Olympic Committee’s decision “to maintain the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee for breaches of the Olympic Charter.”

Tymoshenko noted that Ukraine is “the only country in history that, under full-scale attack, continues to send its national team to the Olympic Games,” demonstrating its commitment to the principles of peace, dignity, and justice.

He also pointed out that Russia often repeats the claim that “sport is outside politics,” but war is a crime, and a state that kills athletes and destroys stadiums “has no moral standing to refer to the Olympic ideal.” The diplomat reminded that Russia has violated the Olympic Truce at least three times.

The statement calls on UN member states to ensure that “there is no Russian or Belarusian state representation in global sport until Russia ends its barbaric war of aggression against Ukraine.”

As reported by Ukrinform, athletes holding Russian or Belarusian passports who qualify for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo may participate only as individual neutral athletes.

Photo: UN Photo / Evan Schneider