Russian, Belarusian ice skaters barred from international competitions

By Can Erozden

ANKARA (AA) – Due to the nearly week-old Russia-Ukraine war, Russian and Belarusian skaters on Tuesday were banned from all international championships.

In a statement, the International Skating Union (ISU) said that it had decided to bar athletes of the Russian Skating Union, Figure Skating Federation of Russia, and Skating Union of Belarus from participating in international ice skating competitions, including ISU championships and other ISU events, until further notice.

The group added that it will continue to monitor the situation in Ukraine and may take additional steps if required.

Since Russia's war on Ukraine began last Thursday – including Russian troops coming across the border from neighboring Belarus – it has been met by outrage from the international community, with the EU, UK, and US implementing a range of economic sanctions on Russia.

So far, at least 136 civilians, including 13 children, have been killed and 400 others, including 26 children, injured in Ukraine, according to UN figures.

Around 660,000 people have fled Ukraine to neighboring countries, the UN Refugee Agency said on Tuesday.