OREANDA-NEWS   The Swedish National Olympic Committee (NOC) has appealed to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to prevent Russian and Belarusian athletes from participating in international sports competitions, including the Olympic Games. The appeal was also signed by the National Olympic Committees of Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, as well as the sports federations of Greenland and the Aland Islands.

"The situation with the war in Ukraine has not changed. Therefore, we firmly stand by our position: not to open the opportunity for Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials to participate in international sports competitions. Now is not the time to think about their return — this is our position," reads the appeal of the Olympic Committees published on the website of the Swedish NOC.

On January 25, the IOC executive committee allowed the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes to international competitions without the right to represent their states. It was proposed to allow only those athletes who did not support Russia's actions in the special operation.

Ukraine accused the IOC of bribery by Russia and also announced a possible boycott of the Olympic Games.