Nordic Olympic Committees urge ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes amid war in Ukraine

Nordic region's Olympic committees have jointly called for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to bar athletes and officials from Russia and Belarus from "international sports participation" due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

This comes after the Baltic prime ministers proposed a similar ban last week, which could potentially lead to an Olympic boycott.

The five Nordic committees stated their support for the Ukrainian people and their quest for peace, stressing that now is not the right time to consider the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes.

Meanwhile, the IOC has yet to respond to the proposals.

The call for a ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes comes amid continued tensions between Ukraine and Russia.

Western countries continue to accuse Moscow of fueling the conflict by supporting pro-Russian separatists with troops and weapons.

Russia denies these claims.

While the Nordic committees' statement echoes the sentiment of the Baltic prime ministers and other Western countries, the IOC has been hesitant to take action that could have a significant impact on athletes' lives and careers.

The IOC has previously banned Russia from the 2018 Winter Olympics in response to doping allegations, but still allowed some athletes to compete as individuals "under strict conditions.

" However, the Nordic Olympic committees argue that the current conflict has surpassed the issue of doping, making a stronger response necessary.