Lithuanian Seimas Speaker opposes Russian and Belarusian athletes

Lithuanian Seimas Speaker Jonas Olekas has expressed his opposition to allowing athletes from Russia and Belarus to participate in competitions held within Lithuania. This stance follows recent developments regarding international sports regulations.

The Ministry of Education, Science and Sport has urged Lithuanian athletes not to boycott international competitions to avoid professional setbacks and potential sanctions. However, the Ministry maintains a firm position that Russian and Belarusian athletes should not participate in any international competitions while the war in Ukraine continues, stating that allowing them to compete sends the wrong signal to the world.

The debate follows FIBA's announcement regarding the lifting of bans on individual participation for athletes from these nations in international competitions, a move linked to the International Olympic Committee's decision to lift the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee.