With its call "not to invite or allow the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes and official representatives in international competitions" and its withdrawal of all Olympic honors from senior officials including Vladimir Putin, the IOC broke with a long tradition of no - intervention in political or geopolitical debates.

Fifa and UEFA immediately reacted by excluding Russia from the World Cup, whose play-offs they were to play against Poland on March 24.

Long silent, the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) announced on Tuesday that it would entrust another country with the organization of the World Cup, initially scheduled for August and September in Russia.

The FIVB had been under pressure since France and Poland, Olympic and world champions respectively, announced they would boycott the competition if it was not held elsewhere.

Russian skaters, who have won six Olympic medals including two gold in Beijing, will no longer be able to compete.

Russian skaters Alexandra Trusova (g), silver medal, Anna Shcherbakov (c), gold medal, and Japanese Kaori Sakamoto (d), bronze medal, on February 18, 2022 at the Beijing Olympics SEBASTIEN BOZON AFP/ Archives

A decision “with immediate effect” and taken “until further notice”, specified the International Skating Union (ISU) which also governs speed skating and short-track.

La Fina less radical

Badminton, skiing, rugby, ice hockey: Russians are banned from many other sports.

There will be no more professional boxing fights in a country already deprived of its Formula 1 Grand Prix in Sochi and the Champions League final, two events of global significance.

Fina (swimming), which had already canceled all competitions on Russian soil, however followed the recommendations less radically: Russians will be able to continue to line up but as individuals, in no case under Russian banners and Belarusian.

The Sochi Formula 1 Grand Prix in September 2021 Alexander NEMENOV AFP / Archives

Another discipline where the Russians are a major force, tennis.

As the WTA and ATP tournaments in Indian Wells, California approach, the organizations that govern world tennis have still not taken a position.

To the chagrin of Elina Svitolina and other Ukrainian players who were surprised by the silence of the WTA, and the contrast with its reaction in the Peng Shuai case.

Committed to the Monterrey tournament, Svitolina refused to face the Russian Anastasia Potapova in the first round and warned that she would maintain this position until the tennis authorities have followed the IOC's recommendations not to accept "nationals Russians or Belarusians only as neutral athletes".

Russian Anastasia Potapova at the Australian Open in Melbourne in January 2022 Paul Crock AFP/Archives

Russians Daniil Medvedev, world No.1, Andrey Rublev and Anastasya Pavlyuchenkova, as well as Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka (world No.3) are among the biggest stars of the little yellow ball.

What legal basis?

The spectacular and historic position of the IOC took many federations by surprise, reports to AFP, on condition of anonymity, a senior official of one of them.

Sports bodies are concerned about the fragility of its legal basis, while Russia has denounced their "discriminatory" nature and hinted that they could challenge them, in particular before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

According to this senior official, the federations "financially dependent on the IOC are at attention, the others are asking questions about the form, which is not going at all: we do neither com' nor politics and there are rules to respect".

The IOC headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, in June 2020 Fabrice COFFRINI AFP / Archives

If the Russian clubs have been suspended from the Euroleague, the flagship competition of European basketball, the International Federation (FIBA) will "publish its position which will be based on the law and the statutes", notes one of its officials.

Other decisions expected are those of the Formula 1 team Haas, whose main sponsor is the Russian giant Uralkali, and of the UCI concerning the Gazprom/VéloRus team, which must notably align itself with the Tirreno-Adriatico (7- March 13) and the Milan-San Remo (March 19).

Another fast deadline, the Paralympic Games, which begin on Friday.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has planned to rule on the subject on Wednesday.

© 2022 AFP