MOSCOW, Apr 20 Famous American MMA fighter and Russian citizen Jeff Monson expressed hope that the ban on the participation of Russian athletes in international competitions due to the situation in Ukraine is temporary. At the end of February, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommended that international sports federations not allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in international competitions due to the situation around Russia and Ukraine. A number of international federations excluded Russians and Belarusians from competitions under their auspices. Other federations have allowed athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete in a neutral status. «I don't think this will affect the level of sports in Russia, because Russia, Ukraine and the whole world hope that this conflict will end soon and the sanctions will be lifted. But in my look, the look of an athlete, politics have no place in sports,» Monson said on the Russia 24 TV channel, commenting on the ban on the participation of Russian athletes in international competitions.
