Ironman cancel St Petersberg 70.3, ban Russian, Belarusian athletes

The Ironman Group has announced the St Petersburg 70.3 Triathlon on 17 July has been canceled as a result of Russia's war on Ukraine.

The group also announced that Russian and Belarusian athletes, both age-group and professional, have been banned from competing in global events with immediate effect.

A statement read: "The Ironman Group stands in solidarity with the people of Ukraine, our athletes and their community, and condemns the actions set by the Russian leadership during this deeply troubled international crisis.

"While we recognize the difficult situation these steps have created for Russian and Belarusian athletes, we believe they are necessary to protect the integrity of our events."

The move to ban licensed athletes for Belarus and Russia is in line with the stance of the IOC and World Triathlon, and the 70.3 event this weekend in Dubai, Utah and the 2022 full-distance world championship events in Kona, Hawaii and half - Distance World Championships in Utah.

Ironman said they are offering assistance to any athlete living in Ukraine and that individuals will be contacted with the options available to them.

Post a Comment

Previous Post Next Post