The Ukrainian Ministry of Youth and Sports, NOC and the Weightlifting Federation opposed the participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus in the World Weightlifting Championship, scheduled for October 2025 in Norway. They emphasized that those who have violated the legislation, have connections with the Russian army or Lukashenko's regime should not participate in the competitions.
Ukraine once again confirms its unwavering position: as long as Russian troops, supported by the Belarusian regime, continue their criminal war against the Ukrainian people, Russian and Belarusian athletes should not participate in the international sports movement in any status. We express our gratitude to investigative journalists from 'Glavkom' for additional evidence
It was also noted that Russian weightlifters who violate Ukrainian legislation are under sanctions and have no right to participate in international competitions. It is worth mentioning that Russian heavyweights were excluded from competitions due to the conflict with Ukraine, but later they were allowed to compete in tournaments in a neutral status by the decision of the International Weightlifting Federation.