WASHINGTON, Mar 8 Thirty-seven countries, including the United States, have called for international sports organizations due to the events in Ukraine to ban Russia and Belarus from hosting international competitions, and their teams and individual athletes from participating in foreign tournaments. «We call on all international sports federations to adhere to these principles and applaud all those who have already done so … These restrictions must remain in place until there is again an opportunity for cooperation based on the fundamental principles of international law,” the joint statement says. Its authors, heads of sports departments from 37 countries, especially welcomed the ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes Paralympic Games in Beijing. The signatories propose to extend the ban on performances abroad to «individual athletes selected by Russia and Belarus, administrators and teams», including those representing «structures, cities or brands» associated with both countries. Major football clubs are cited as an example. The authors of the statement also call on sports federations to limit the possibilities for sponsorship or other financial support from entities that have ties to Russia or Belarus.
