All articles tagged with #international competitions
President Trump's new travel ban includes exemptions for athletes and coaches participating in major sporting events like the World Cup and Olympics, but the criteria for these exemptions remain unclear, potentially impacting upcoming international sports competitions in the U.S. such as the Gold Cup and Club World Cup.
UEFA has abandoned its plan to allow Russia to participate in the Under-17 European Championship qualifying games this month due to widespread opposition from member federations. UEFA had initially eased its policy of excluding Russian teams from international competitions but faced resistance from several federations. Despite exploring options, UEFA was unable to find a technical solution to allow Russian teams to play. The decision was seen as a victory for Ukraine, which had called for a boycott of games against Russia.
The United States has been chosen to host the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, which will feature a newly expanded 32-team field and take place every four years. The competition will include teams that have won continental championships from 2021 through 2024. The United States is also set to host the Copa América next year and the World Cup in 2026. The Concacaf Gold Cup is scheduled to start Saturday, followed by the Concacaf W Championship and Copa América in 2024.
Ukrainian skeleton star Vladyslav Heraskevych has criticized the International Olympic Committee's decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals in international competitions, calling it a "slap in the face." Heraskevych fears that images of nations competing together could be used for propaganda. The Ukrainian National Olympic Committee Athletes' Commission only heard from the IOC last week, having heard nothing from them for almost a year. The decision has also been criticized by more than 300 active and former fencers who wrote to the IOC urging the organization to uphold sanctions against Russian and Belarusian athletes.
IOC President Thomas Bach defended the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in international competitions, saying it "works" and that governments are issuing visas and working permits to these athletes. This comes after more than 300 fencers wrote to the IOC urging the organization to uphold sanctions against Russian and Belarusian athletes, calling allowing them entry back into international competitions a "catastrophic error." The IOC outlined a plan for Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in the 2024 and 2026 Olympic Games, which was met with criticism from several countries.