591 Ukrainian athlete and coach has lost their life due to the actions of Russian troops during the ongoing war. Additionally, 22 sports representatives are currently imprisoned in Russia, and 11 are missing.

This was reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

The Ministry also highlighted significant damages to sports infrastructure, with 725 sports facilities either damaged or destroyed, including 17 Olympic, Paralympic, and Deaflympic training centers.

It emphasized that Russia uses sports as a tool for propaganda and aggression. For instance, at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, 10 out of 15 “neutral” Russian athletes publicly supported the war or have military ties.

“Russian sports are not separate from the state... Those who claim that sports should be beyond politics must also recognize that Russia uses sports as a political weapon,” stated the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

The World Congress of Ukrainians condemned the intentions of the new IOC President Coventry to discuss the return of Russia to the Olympic movement.

The human rights organization Global Rights Compliance accused the IOC of negligence after 17 Russian and Belarusian athletes, competing under a neutral flag, expressed support for Russian aggression, which is against the rules.

Global Rights Compliance noted that these athletes violated regulations prohibiting public support for the war in Ukraine, even though the IOC had thoroughly vetted all participants.