Members of the Athletes’ Commission of the National Olympic Committee of Lithuania (LNOC) have appealed to the international sports community – the International Sports Federations, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) – to preserve the sanctions on Russian and Belarusian athletes.

The Commission, chaired by Olympic vice-champion rower Mindaugas Griškonis, expressed its support for the Ukrainian Olympic community and once again encouraged organisations to help Ukrainian athletes prepare for and participate in international competitions.

The LNOC Athletes’ Commission also appealed to the International Sports Federations, the IOC and the IOC Athletes’ Commission to take all measures to ensure that the athletes from Russia, which is waging war in Ukraine, and from its supporter Belarus are not allowed to compete at either the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics or the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.

“As each International Federation is solely responsible for international competitions and qualifications for the Olympics, we appeal to you to take all possible measures to ensure that Russia and Belarus are excluded from both international competitions and the Olympic Games, while the war in Ukraine is ongoing,” the statement reads.

The LNOC also expressed its position that it does not support the participation of Russians and Belarusians in the Paris Olympics or in any other sporting event while the war in Ukraine is ongoing.