International Volleyball Federation lifts restrictions on Belarusian national teams

May 13, Pozirk. The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) has lifted all restrictions on the participation of Belarusian national teams in its tournaments, the Belarusian Volleyball Federation (BVF) reported.
The BVF cited a letter from FIVB President Fabio Azevedo. The decision, based on recommendations from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), applies to both volleyball and beach volleyball teams.
The BVF welcomed the move and said it expected the European Volleyball Confederation to follow suit.
Belarus’ youth teams have been allowed to participate in FIVB events since January 1.
Some federations have complied with the IOC recommendation, while others have kept restrictions in place.
For instance, World Boxing and the pentathlon governing body, the UIPM, have lifted all restrictions on Belarusian athletes. Meanwhile, the International Tennis Federation and World Athletics have maintained restrictions imposed in connection with Russia’s war against Ukraine and the Belarusian regime’s role in it.
Yesterday, during a meeting in Brussels, eight European Union sports ministers voiced opposition to the participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus in European sports events, saying it could create security and public-order concerns, Polskie Radio reported.
The Polish sports minister said that “there is no place for the national symbols of the aggressor countries at international competitions.” Poland’s position was supported by Estonia, Finland, France, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania and Sweden.
The IOC recommended lifting all restrictions on Belarusian athletes on May 7. On February 28, 2022, days after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the IOC urged international sports federations to ban athletes from Russia and Belarus from competitions. One year later, it recommended allowing only individual neutral athletes to compete without displaying their countries’ flags or other national symbols.
Eight EU sports ministers voice opposition to Belarusian athletes’ participation in European events
- Economy, PoliticsGeneva to remain seat for Biełaruśkalij-Lithuania fertilizer transit arbitrationThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyBelarus’ new car sales up 2 percent in OctoberThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SecurityBelarusian military command learning advanced troop deployment, underground warfare tacticsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyLithuania arrests two suspected of smuggling cigarettes from Belarus by airThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyBelarus’ border guards seize toy helicopter, drone at Polish borderThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyEnvoy invites Slovak business executives to visit Belarus in 2027The material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- PoliticsOpposition politician expects Latvian MPs to form For a Democratic Belarus groupThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecuritySecretary general touts OSCE as “platform for dialogue” during Minsk visitThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityEuropean Court of Human Rights to rule on pushback complaints against Poland, Latvia and LithuaniaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- Society, SportCanada to bar Belarusian, Russian ice hockey players from junior tournamentThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SecurityGerman troops in Lithuania scanning for new air defense radars in BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsBelarus’ gold and foreign exchange reserves down 2.6 percent in OctoberThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsPoland may extend validity period of its travel document for foreigners to two yearsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityBelarus must be on agenda of Ukraine peace talks, Cichanoŭskaja saysThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyCouncil of Europe experts point to flaws in Belarus’ system to combat human traffickingThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, Germany news, SocietyBelarus arrests local Bayer employees on tax evasion chargesThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsLavrov rules out engagement with EU, Ryžankoŭ urges Brussels to end self-isolationThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsVilnius rules out Belarus sanctions review without policy shift in MinskThe material is available only to POZIRK+


