On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of the Ukrainian mainland across a wide front in a major escalation of the conflict. On the day of the Russian invasion in 2022, Ukraine severed all formal diplomatic ties with Russia.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has reverberated throughout the sports world, affecting the status of Russian athletes competing in international competitions.
As Russia's unprovoked incursion into Eastern Europe continues, international sporting bodies have reacted by sanctioning Russia from competitions or barring Russian athletes from those countries entirely. In response to the situation, various sports have taken various actions.
F1 has not only canceled this year's Russian Grand Prix, but also terminated the long-term contract of one of the sport's most lucrative races. This will have financial ramifications as the sport's executives scramble to find a replacement.
The war's direct consequences have already begun to manifest. Haas, an F1 team, was quick to drop Russian title sponsor Uralkali and the associated color scheme from last year's campaign. They also turned away Russian driver Nikita Mazepin, who, along with his father Dmitry, is now subject to UK sanctions. Ferrari has also removed the Kaspersky logo from its vehicles and facilities.
Football also has not been spared in the aftermath of Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine as part of the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war. Players, club owners, sponsors, and the game's governing bodies have all reacted to the escalation in aggression, with some situations already becoming politically and morally untenable.Russian players and deals have been suspended and Ukraine coach has gone back to his hometown to defend his country.
In competition terms, the International Olympic Committee's executive board has recommended that Russian athletes are suspended from competing in events with the 2022 World Cup coming up later this year with Russia one of the nations in the qualifying draw.
The International Tennis Federation (ITF) cracked down on the Russian and Belarusian tennis federations, barring the countries from ITF membership and team competition. But players are still allowed to compete
In chess, Russia and Ukraine have traditionally had strong ties. Nonetheless, the conflict has altered everything. Players being barred from rivalries, competitions being pulled from Russia, and heated rivalries between top players - the chess world is in crisis.
As long as the war continues, there will almost certainly be more consequences for Russian sport, both short and long term.Sports and Politics should never be mixed but unfortunately due to Global opinion on Russia's unprovoked imperialism ambitions sports governing bodies have been reacting in sanctioning Russia and its athletes.