Putin accuses Russia boycotters of violating athletes' rights

Daily Sabah · Reuters · 2026-11-06 09:36 UTC

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that countries opposing decisions to reinstate Russian athletes in international competitions were violating...

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that countries opposing decisions to reinstate Russian athletes in international competitions were violating their rights and undermining democratic institutions.

Putin's remarks came as sports authorities in several countries vowed to refuse to compete against Russian teams following a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the highest body in sports law, allowing Russia's national ice hockey teams to return to international competition.

Canada, Denmark and Sweden were among the countries opposing the move, citing Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and, in part, safety concerns stemming from ongoing geopolitical tensions.

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