Ukraine opposed the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in the World Championship.

According to inkorr.com: The Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, along with the National Olympic Committee and the Weightlifting Federation, expressed disagreement with the participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus in the World Weightlifting Championship, which will take place in October 2025 in Norway. They emphasized that competitions should avoid the participation of those who have violated the law or have connections with the Russian army or Lukashenko's regime.

Ukraine once again confirms its unwavering position: as long as Russian troops, supported by the Belarusian regime, continue their criminal war against the Ukrainian people, Russian and Belarusian athletes should not participate in international sports in any capacity. We express our gratitude to investigative journalists from 'Glavcom' for additional evidence.

Furthermore, it was noted that Russian weightlifters who violate Ukrainian legislation have been sanctioned and cannot participate in international competitions. It is worth mentioning that earlier Russian heavyweights were excluded from competitions due to the conflict with Ukraine, but later they were allowed to participate in tournaments under neutral status by the decision of the International Weightlifting Federation.

This position of Ukrainian sporting organizations highlights their commitment to the principles of fairness and security on the international stage. The next step may be to strengthen demands on other international sports events in order to protect the integrity of sports and support countries that have suffered aggression.