25 Jan 2023 21:32

IOC Executive Board welcomes Asian Olympic Council's proposal to allow Russians to participate in its competitions

MOSCOW. Jan 25 (Interfax) - The Olympic Council of Asia's proposal to allow Russian athletes to compete in its tournaments was appreciated by the Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the IOC press service said.

The Executive Board "welcomed and appreciated the offer from the Olympic Council of Asia to give these [Russian] athletes access to Asian competitions," the statement said.

Previously, the Olympic Council of Asia made the relevant proposal.

In February 2022, the IOC recommended that international sports federations bar Russians and Belarusians from their competitions due to the situation in Ukraine. Most federations followed the IOC recommendation.