Overview
- The International Handball Federation announced on Wednesday that it has fully lifted sanctions and readmitted Russian and Belarusian teams, officials and technical staff to IHF competitions.
- The IHF said the readmission allows use of national flags and anthems and applies to athletes, referees, coaches and other accredited personnel.
- The federation tied its action to the International Olympic Committee's July 7 decision to temporarily restore the Russian Olympic Committee and drop recommendations that athletes compete only under a neutral status.
- Several other international federations including table tennis, modern pentathlon and volleyball have reported similar rollbacks while many European countries and Ukraine publicly oppose reinstatement.
- The change will affect who can enter events, how tournaments are organized and whether results from competitions including those held in or involving Russia will be accepted, leaving athletes and organisers to navigate a fragmented set of rules.