It was always believed that culture and sports are outside of politics. And if you are a football player or a singer, geopolitical issues do not concern you. The situation began to change, albeit slowly, after the winter of 2013, when russia annexed Crimea and occupied part of Donbas. But after February 24, 2022, it became clear that there was no way back. russia uses all its opportunities to promote its propaganda, including in sports arenas around the world. Therefore, it is necessary not only to boycott everything russian but also to call on the whole world to do so.

In sports, this process is progressing quite briskly. Here are just a few examples of how russians began to be squeezed out of major sports after a full-scale invasion. UEFA moved the final of the Champions League from St. Petersburg to the French city of Saint-Denis. A number of national teams defiantly refused to play with the russians, Poland was especially principled in this regard. Subsequently, FIFA announced that russian teams should play as the ‘russian football union’, without flags and anthems, and international football for teams under the tricolour is closed.

Formula 1 has cancelled the 2022 russian Grand Prix, and the International Olympic Committee has called on international sports federations to postpone or cancel any sporting events planned in belarus and russia. Even the International Judo Federation, whose honorary president is russian President Putin, suspended his status.

In part, the russians were forbidden to participate in the competition only in a neutral status. But here is the latest information – track and field athletes from russia were banned from participating in the World Championships, which will be held in American Oregon from July 15 to 24, even in neutral status. And before that, the Chairman of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, while in Ukraine, confirmed that sanctions against russian and belarusian athletes will carry on as long as the bloody war in Ukraine continues.

It is necessary not to stop and go even further – remove all russian sports officials from management positions in international federations and associations. There are many such examples. Umar Kremliov is still the president of the International Boxing Federation. Alisher Usmanov is the president of the International Fencing Federation. Vladimir Lisin is the president of the International Sports Shooting Federation. Vasily Shestakov is the president of the International Sambo Federation. Arkady Dvorkovich is the president of the International Chess Federation, Boris Skrynnik is the president of the International Bendy Federation (ball hockey). And this is an incomplete list of russians who still hold leadership positions in sports federations in games and Olympic type of sports. It is not enough to simply not allow athletes to perform under the tricolour flag. It is necessary that among the heads of international federations, there is no one who will promote russian narratives and try to return russia to big sports.

The russian federation must now be dealt with in the same way as with other countries that grossly violated international law, human rights or started wars. Let me remind you that the countries accused of starting the First World War – Germany, Austria, Bulgaria and Turkey – were not allowed to attend the Olympic Games in 1920 in Antwerp. And Germany and Japan were not invited to the Olympics in London in 1948 as the culprits of the Second World War. In 1964, a boycott was announced against the South African Republic – because of apartheid, and in 1980, a boycott was announced against the Soviet Union – then 64 countries, led by the USA, refused to go to the Olympics in Moscow. This is how they protested against the introduction of Soviet troops into Afghanistan.

Athletes who perform under the russian flag should know: the policy of their country’s leadership is reflected on them as well. And, as long as the war lasts, they will have to forget about international competitions and remarkable achievements. For their part, Ukrainian athletes and sports officials should remember that any fraternization with russians, attempts to stand up for them and promote the thesis that ‘sport is outside of politics’ will be perceived extremely negatively. Let’s remember at least the track and field athlete Yaroslava Maguchih, who allowed herself to take a ‘friendly’ photo in an embrace with a russian athlete at the Olympics in Tokyo. Fortunately, Yaroslava herself realized the wrongness of her actions: after the full-scale invasion of russia, she made several statements, and I think she will never shake hands with any russian athlete again.

Now the famous football player, former head coach of the Ukrainian national team Andriy Shevchenko has come up with a great initiative. Together with the Ukrainian media, he implements the ‘Sports Front’ flash mob, where he calls on athletes from all over the world to boycott russians at all levels. ‘Silence kills,’ says Andriy, and I completely agree with him. russia uses sports as a powerful propaganda tool. That is why all of us – Ukrainian athletes, businessmen, politicians, journalists, and simply caring citizens – must deny them such an opportunity.