The International Olympic Committee (

) issued a statement on the first anniversary of the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia with the support of Belarus.

In it, the IOC emphasized that it does not plan to lift sanctions from Russian and Belarusian athletes, whose countries are responsible for the war in Ukraine.

"The IOC condemned in the strongest possible terms the senseless war on the day of the invasion. With no end in sight to hostilities after a year of bloodshed, we again condemn the war in Ukraine, which is a gross violation of the Olympic Truce and the Olympic Charter. For this reason, the IOC has imposed unprecedented sanctions against the Russian and of the Belarusian states and governments responsible for this war: no international sporting events in Russia and Belarus; no flags, anthems or other state symbols; no government officials accredited to any international sporting events," the IOC said in a statement.

The organization also confirmed that they will continue to provide assistance to Ukrainian athletes who suffered from aggression.

In particular, the IOC added that they tripled the Fund of Solidarity with Ukraine, from which Ukrainian athletes receive funds.

At the same time, the IOC statement says that the Olympic Games are designed to open the door to dialogue and peace-building.

Therefore, it is possible that the organization did not abandon the idea of ​​returning Russian and Belarusian athletes to competitions in a neutral status.

"The Olympic Games cannot avert wars and conflicts. They cannot face all the political and social challenges of our world. This is the field of politics. But the Olympic Games can set an example of a world in which everyone respects the same rules and each other. They can inspire us to solve problems by building bridges that lead to better understanding between people. They can open doors to dialogue and peace-building that exclusion and division cannot do," the IOC wrote. 

Earlier, the IOC announced that the final decision regarding the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in the 2024 Olympic Games has 

.

As a reminder, Ukraine 

if athletes from Russia and Belarus are admitted to the competition.

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