Russian and Belarusian runners banned from 2022 Boston Marathon weeks before race
Runners from Russia and Belarus who are currently residing in either country will not be allowed to compete in the 2022 Boston Marathon, the Boston Athletic Association has announced.
They will also not be permitted to compete in the B.A.A. 5K.
The announcement said Russian and Belarusian citizens who are not residents in either country will be able to compete; however, they wont be able to run under the flags of their country.
“We believe that running is a global sport, and as such, we must do what we can to show our support to the people of Ukraine,” President & CEO of the BAA Tom Grilk said in the announcement.
The BAA said it will make attempts to refund runners from either country who can no longer participate. It will also refund Ukrainian athletes who can no longer compete or defer to a future year.
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'I am on the side of Russia': Chess champion banned for supporting Ukraine invasion
In February, Russia invaded Ukraine in what NATO called "a hostile attack." The conflict between the two countries has raged on. On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the Greek Parliament he needed more weapons.
“The sooner Ukraine receives this help, the more lives we can save in Ukraine,” he said.
Contributing: Paste BN staff
Follow reporter Asha Gilbert @Coastalasha. Email: agilbert@usatoday.com.