The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has maintained its ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes taking part in global tournaments, the governing frame stated on Thursday.
The BWF first banned Russian and Belarusian athletes in March remaining yr after Russia invaded Ukraine, to start with the usage of its best friend Belarus as a staging flooring in what Russia known as a “special military operation”.
The BWF’s resolution comes in spite of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommending remaining month that athletes from Russia and Belarus be allowed to go back to festival as neutrals, offering they didn’t give a boost to the conflict or weren’t affiliated with the army.
Table tennis, fencing, judo and taekwondo are some of the Olympic sports activities that have readmitted athletes from the 2 international locations as neutrals.
The BWF stated in a observation that the verdict to increase the ban used to be taken at its council assembly on Tuesday.
“BWF acknowledges that sport should foster peace and solidarity between all people, and that sport should not become a political vehicle for influence in geo-politics,” the governing frame stated.
“In that sense, the tenet is that athletes must at all times be allowed to take part in game competitions with out judgment in their passport and aside of any geo-political struggle out of doors the regulate of the sports activities motion.
“However… BWF isn’t satisfied there may be sufficient justification to boost the suspensions on Russian and Belarussian gamers and officers presently.
“BWF continues to express unwavering support to the people of Ukraine, and the Ukrainian badminton community, and we strongly condemn the invasion of Ukraine, which works against BWF’s core values and our objective to obtain peace.”
Singles and doubles qualification in badminton for subsequent yr’s Olympics in Paris will probably be in response to effects accomplished in tournaments between May 1, 2023 and April 28, 2024.