General
The IOC severely punished the country for refusing visas to athletes. Monstrous double standards
But why weren’t they so worried about the Russians before?
The International Olympic Committee has finally decided to fight political interference in sports and stood up for athletes who were denied visas on the eve of the World Cup. Now Indonesia can forget about big sports tournaments for a long time.
Russia can only dream of such an attitude from the IOC. How tired of these double standards!
Punishment of Indonesia
The Artistic Gymnastics World Championships are taking place in Indonesia from October 19 to 25. Russian athletes take part in it in a neutral status, but Israeli athletes are not allowed to participate in the competition at all. The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG), as well as the International Olympic Committee (IOC), have nothing to do with this – the Indonesian government refused entry visas to the Israelis.
After such blatant interference of politics in sports, the IOC Executive Committee stood up for Israeli athletes and recommended that international federations not hold tournaments in Indonesia.
“To avoid similar situations in the future, the IOC Executive Board has decided to cease any form of dialogue with the Indonesian NOC regarding the holding of future Olympic Games, Youth Olympic Games, Olympic events or conferences until the Indonesian government provides sufficient assurance to the IOC that it will ensure entry into the country for all participants, regardless of nationality.
Recommend that all international federations not hold any international sporting events or meetings in Indonesia until the Indonesian government provides sufficient assurance to international federations that it will allow all participants, regardless of nationality, to enter the country, the press release said.
Russians are not welcome
If we abstract from the previous actions of the IOC, such intercession for athletes can only be welcomed. Who, if not the IOC, should fight for equal opportunities for all athletes, regardless of nationality? But for some reason the organization is not at all worried about discrimination against Russians.
In July 2023, Polish border guards did not allow tennis player Vera Zvonareva into the country to participate in the WTA tournament. During the same period, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova was not allowed to play at a tournament in Prague: the Russian woman was detained at the airport and deported. In February 2024, the Romanian customs service did not allow two-time Olympic champion Abdulrashid Sadulayev to attend the European wrestling championship. In March 2025, the Czech Republic refused entry to Russian canoeists and kayakers to participate in the European Championships.
In the countries of northern Europe, even the hypothetical possibility of Russians speaking out is opposed, regardless of the positions of the IOC and international federations.
“Russians have nothing to do in Ruka, since they are prohibited from entering the country,” the Helsingin Sanomat newspaper quoted Sirpa Corkatti, president of the Finnish Ski Association, in the context of the hypothetical appearance of Russians at the World Cup in Finland.
— Russia is undesirable as a participating country. My message to Russian athletes is this: you are not welcome in Trondheim during the World Cup,” VG quoted the mayor of Trondheim, Kent Ranum, as saying.
No credit to the IOC
There were indeed examples when Russophobes were punished. For refusing to allow Russians to participate in the European Championships in Poland in 2023, the International Fencing Federation (FIE) stripped the tournament of its European Championship status. This year, for refusing entry to Russians and Belarusians, the World Kickboxing Federation (WKF) left Moldova without the European Championship. Important precedents, but this is definitely not the merit of the IOC.
By the way, discrimination based on nationality applies not only to Russians. In the summer, volleyball players from the Cuban national team were not allowed into the United States for a tournament for teams from North, Central America and the Caribbean (NORCECA). The athletes were simply denied visas. And how did they react to this in Lausanne? It seems like they didn’t notice the problem at all.
If the IOC truly decides to combat the influence of politics in sport, then the organization should forget about its beloved double standards. Attempts by officials to explain why athletes from some countries can be discriminated against, but not from others, are banal demagoguery. Having punished Indonesia, it is worth punishing a good half of European countries, whose politicians talk about the undesirability of Russians, and the responsible departments deny visas to our athletes.
Source: Sportbox
Thomas Astudillo is a sports journalist and author who writes for Sportish. He has a deep love and knowledge of sports, and is known for his engaging and informative writing on the latest sports news and events.
General
A 77-year-old Russian woman received an international award for the best gaming moment in the shooter CS2
Russian streamer Olga Ivanovna, known under the nickname i_olga on the Twitch platform, won the “Best Gaming Moment of 2025” category as part of the international NNYS award.
During one of the streams, a 77-year-old woman was able to create a so-called “ace” in the shooter Counter‑Strike 2 – the moment when one player defeats the entire opposing team. A video of this moment was widely shared on social networks.
The pensioner lives in Nizhny Novgorod. About 250 thousand viewers have subscribed to her channel.
The NNYS Awards annually celebrate significant moments and select the best videos across 16 categories.
Source: Sportbox
Thomas Astudillo is a sports journalist and author who writes for Sportish. He has a deep love and knowledge of sports, and is known for his engaging and informative writing on the latest sports news and events.
General
Metelya – about possible admission to IBU tournaments: “Even though it will be a neutral status, I understand that I will represent Russia”
Russian biathlete Victoria Metelya stated that she is ready to compete at international tournaments in a neutral status.
On Wednesday it became known that the Russian Biathlon Union (SBR) filed a lawsuit with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to challenge the exclusion of Russian athletes from competitions under the auspices of the International Biathlon Union (IBU). Previously, the Russian side, in a similar lawsuit against the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS), achieved the participation of Russian athletes in the Olympic selection.
— Would you agree to perform in a neutral status?
– If this happens, I will agree. And even though it will be a neutral status, I understand that I will represent Russia. I hope justice will prevail. Although in biathlon it will be much more difficult to obtain such a status than in cross-country skiing,” Tyumen Arena quotes Metelya.
Russian biathletes have been suspended from international competitions since 2022.
Source: Sportbox
Thomas Astudillo is a sports journalist and author who writes for Sportish. He has a deep love and knowledge of sports, and is known for his engaging and informative writing on the latest sports news and events.
General
The IBU reported that the claim was filed with CAS by the SBR, RKR and eight Russian biathletes and parabiathletes
The International Biathlon Union (IBU) reported on its website that it has received information from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) about a claim from the Russian Biathlon Union (RUB), the Russian Paralympic Committee (RPC), Russian biathletes and parabiathletes against the decision to exclude athletes from international competitions.
On Wednesday, the head of the RBU press service, Sergei Averyanov, told Match TV that the organization filed a lawsuit with CAS to challenge the exclusion of Russian athletes from competitions under the auspices of the IBU. Previously, the Russian side, in a similar lawsuit against the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS), achieved the participation of Russian athletes in the Olympic selection.
— The IBU received notification today from CAS that the RBU, RKR and eight Russian biathletes and parabiathletes have submitted a request for arbitration.
The IBU supports the democratic decision of the IBU Congress to suspend the membership of the RBU and the admission of its athletes, which was taken on a sound legal basis. The IBU also reiterates that the competition rules and IBU statutes do not allow athletes to participate in neutral status. The IBU is confident in its position and will cooperate fully with CAS.
The IBU legal team is currently reviewing the documents received. Further announcements will be made in due course, it said.
Russian biathletes have been suspended from international competitions since 2022.
Source: Sportbox
Thomas Astudillo is a sports journalist and author who writes for Sportish. He has a deep love and knowledge of sports, and is known for his engaging and informative writing on the latest sports news and events.
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