Norway will deny entry to Russian athletes
Norway will refuse entry to Russian and Belarusian athletes if they come to the country to participate in sports tournaments
The Norwegian government has decided not to allow Russian and Belarusian professional athletes, as well as accompanying personnel, to enter the country to participate in sports competitions. This is reported on the official website of the Norwegian government.
The Ministry of Justice and Public Safety will instruct the Immigration and Police Department to deny entry to Russian and Belarusian professional athletes and accompanying persons, in accordance with the Immigration Act, if they come to Norway to participate in sports. These changes will take effect shortly, the statement said.
The government explained that Russian sport has close ties with the Russian authorities and government agencies. Therefore, in their opinion, Russia’s participation in international competitions cannot be considered in isolation from the ongoing military operation in Ukraine.
Norway’s decision follows a similar move by Finland, which on Nov. 12 announced travel restrictions for Russian athletes.
Finland's decision was not supported by the International Skating Union (ISU), noting that "athletes should not be held responsible for the actions of their governments.".
