Switzerland is demanding that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) exclude Russian and Belarusian officials from top positions in international sports federations.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/ac
Português
pt
Suíça quer que russos e bielorrussos sejam excluídos das federações esportivas
The Swiss Minister of Sport, Viola Amherd, sent a letter to IOC President Thomas Bach whose organisation is based in the Swiss city of Lausanne. According to Keystone-SDA news agency, the letter states that in view of the situation in Ukraine it is no longer sufficient to exclude athletes from the two countries from competitions abroad. Some 53 international sports organisations have their head office in the Alpine country, 46 of them in canton Vaud on Lake Geneva.
In March, a group of around 30 countries, including Switzerland, issued a declaration calling for effective measures to be taken by international sports federations against Russia and Belarus.
On Saturday, Christoph Lauener, head of communications at the Swiss Federal Office of Sport said that Switzerland had taken a clear position with the statement. However, the international sports federations are organised under private law. The IOC has much more effective means than the state and can exclude the federations from the Olympic family if necessary, he added.
Swiss Olympic, the Swiss Olympic Committee, supports the government’s position.
“We would like equal treatment of athletes and officials,” media spokesman Alexander Wäfler told Swiss media.
According to Swiss Olympic, many officials have closer ties to the regimes in Moscow and Minsk than the athletes. The IOC has not yet released a statement on the issue.
Swiss climate activists block vehicles near Gotthard tunnel
This content was published on
Around ten climate activists briefly blocked the A2 motorway near the northern entrance of the Gotthard tunnel on Thursday.
Watches belonging to Michael Schumacher up for auction
This content was published on
Schumacher's family is auctioning off eight rare watches from his collection in Geneva. The Christie's auction will take place on Monday.
Joya Marleen and Baschi named best solo acts at Swiss Music Awards
This content was published on
St. Gallen singer Joya Marleen and Baschi from Basel were named artists of the year at the Swiss Music Awards 2024 on Wednesday night.
Swiss authorities announce cost-cutting in asylum sector
This content was published on
The government notably wants to improve integration into the labour force, particularly for people with protection status S.
Various leaders confirm participation at Ukraine peace conference
This content was published on
The presidents of Poland, Finland, and Latvia and the prime ministers of Spain and Belgium will be at the Swiss-hosted talks in mid-June.
This content was published on
In the winter season up to April 2024, railway and cable car operators ferried 3% more visitors compared to the previous winter, and 5% more than the five-year average.
Rhine flooding: Swiss to invest CHF1 billion with Austria
This content was published on
As part of an international agreement with Austria, the Swiss government wants to pump CHF1 billion ($1.1 billion) into flood protection measures along the Rhine over the next three decades.
Swiss government proposes CHF10 million UNRWA donation
This content was published on
After months of debate, Switzerland plans to give CHF10 million ($11 million) to the UN agency this year, rather than the CHF20 million initially foreseen.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Why Switzerland remains at the heart of corruption in sport
This content was published on
Switzerland is home to many international sports federations – and scandals. We examine what's gone wrong and what needs to change.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.