UK to support continuing ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes

• IOC exploring plan for nations’ athletes to compete as neutrals
• More than 30 nations to oppose move over war in Ukraine

The United Kingdom will continue to support a continuing ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes in international sporting events, including at next year’s Olympics, the culture secretary, Lucy Frazer, has said.

The International Olympic Committee announced last month that it was “exploring a pathway” for athletes from the two nations to compete as neutrals in qualification events for the Paris Games having called on federations to exclude them following the invasion of Ukraine, the first anniversary of which is this week.