Switzerland does not want Russian and Belarusian sports officials on its soil
Switzerland's Minister of Defense, Civil Protection and Sports Viola Amherd sent a letter to the International Olympic Committee stating her country's desire to remove officials from Russia and Belarus from top positions in international sports federations.
The Swiss Federal Office for Sport confirmed today that the letter had been sent to the International Olympic Committee.
The letter stated that in light of the ongoing war in Ukraine, it was no longer sufficient to exclude athletes from both countries from international competitions.
Several sports federations are located in Switzerland, including the International Olympic Committee, the International Football Association (FIFA), the European Union (UEFA) and the International Basketball Federation.
These federations are usually considered private institutions, but the Swiss government believes the IOC can put pressure on the federations, by threatening to exclude them from the Olympic family, according to a spokesperson for the Federal Sports Office.
The International Olympic Committee did not initially comment on this matter.
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