The Friendship Games 2024 Organizing Committee has responded to the International Olympic Committee’s claims that countries should ignore the competitions planned for September next year. The committee emphasizes that the Friendship Games were never intended to challenge the IOC or to position itself as a rival to the Olympic movement. Instead, officials say the events were conceived as a complementary addition to the existing international sports calendar, offering an option for athletes who seek high level competition outside the traditional Olympic pathways. This stance is especially relevant for athletes connected with Russia, where the schedule and format are seen as a practical alternative within the broader athletic ecosystem.
In late February 2022, the IOC issued guidance to international sports federations advising that Russian and Belarusian athletes should not participate in certain events due to escalating geopolitical tensions surrounding Ukraine. The guidance reflected a broader push by the IOC to maintain a particular stance during a period of heightened international sanctions and sport-related sanctions in response to ongoing conflict.
On October 12, the IOC announced the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee until further notice. This decision followed the inclusion of the Olympic Councils of the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics, as well as the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions, into the Russian federation’s organizational framework. The move signaled a significant realignment of national sport governance and raised questions about eligibility, representation, and the future participation of athletes from affected regions in global competitions.
Elena Vyalbe, who previously led the Federation of Yugoslavian Sports Administrators in the same capacity, described the IOC as a politicized organization. This critique reflects a broader debate in international sport about how political circumstances intersect with athletic governance and competition scheduling. The exchange underscores ongoing tensions between national sport authorities and international bodies as they navigate sanctions, regional conflicts, and the rights of athletes to compete at the highest levels.