Russian/Belarusian athletes and officials suspended from participating in the European Youth Olympic Festival in Vuokatti 2022

The Executive Committee of the European Olympic Committees (EOC) decided yesterday, 1 March 2022, that the Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials will no longer participate in the forthcoming 2022 Winter European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) to be held in Vuokatti, Finland, from 20-25 March.

The Finnish Olympic Committee and the Vuokatti 2022 Organising Committee strongly condemns the ongoing Russia’s military action in Ukraine and fully supports the decision made by the EOC Executive Committee.

The decision made by the EOC Executive Committee (EOC press release 2 March) of Russian and Belarussian athletes and officials is in line with the recommendations made by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board (EB). The IOC EB recommends the International Sports Federations and sports event organisers to not invite or allow the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials in international competitions (IOC press releases 28 February and 25 February )

Additional information:

Finnish Olympic Committee CEO and Secretary General, Mr Mikko Salonen, +358 40 5410 295
EYOF 2022 Organising Committee Chair, Mr Mika Kilpeläinen, + 358 44 7502 111
EYOF 2022 Secretary General, Ms Marita Kaipainen, +358 50 5707 778