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The International Orienteering Federation (IOF) suspends the membership of its Belarusian member due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine

Press Release Issued by the International Orienteering Federation
March 4, 2022

The International Orienteering Federation (IOF) suspends the membership of its Belarusian member due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

The Council of the International Orienteering Federation decided at its ordinary Council meeting today to immediately suspend the membership of Belarus Orienteering Federation. The suspension of the Belarusian member federation is for an indefinite period of time and means the following:

  • Belarusian orienteering athletes, in all IOF disciplines, will not be allowed to participate in IOF events. Athletes will also not be allowed to participate as neutral athletes. This decision has an immediate effect on the World Ski Orienteering Championships, Junior World Ski Orienteering Championships and European Youth Ski Orienteering Championships scheduled to be held in Finland March 14 – 20, 2022.
  • All organizing rights for IOF events and activities are canceled for the duration of the suspension. There are currently no IOF championships or major events scheduled to be held in Belarus, but the decision means that any scheduled World Ranking Events or World Orienteering Day activities will have their IOF recognition removed.
  • Belarusian members appointed to IOF commissions and official bodies are suspended from their work for the duration of the suspension.

This decision follows the extraordinary Council decision from February 28 to suspend the Russian Orienteering Federation. The measures are taken as a result of careful considerations within the IOF Council and are supported by statements made by a number of IOF member federations. They are in addition to the support expressed previously by the IOF for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommendations published on February 25 and February 28. The decisions are made in accordance with the IOF Statutes and Code of Ethics.

 

Secretary-General
Sondre Gullord

International Orienteering Federation

Ukrainian Orienteering
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