GENEVA (AP) — Sports bodies across Europe moved Monday to further isolate and condemn Russia following its invasion of Ukraine by refusing to host or play against teams from the country.
Finland wants the Russian hockey team to be banned from the men’s world championships it will host in May, the Swiss soccer federation said its women’s team will not play Russia in July at the European Championship, and German soccer club Schalke said it had decided to end its longstanding partnership with Russian state-owned energy giant Gazprom.
However, the wave of opposition to Russian teams and athletes has not yet extended to a ban. Nor has the International Olympic Committee suspended Russia or Belarus, which has allowed its land to be used for troops and launching military strikes against Ukraine.