The historically neutral SWITZERLAND has taken a stand demanding for the immediate exclusion of all Russian and Belarusian officials from the FIG. At the same time the Swiss Gymnastics Federation has reached out to Ukraine offering their gymnasts a place to train. I have never been so proud to be part of an organization.

Tony.

*Request for immediate exclusion of all officials from Russia and Belarus from all bodies of the Fédération internationale de gymnastique as well as European Gymnastics*

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen    2 March 2022

The Swiss Gymnastics Federation is shocked by the war against Ukraine. The Russian government, with the support of the government of Belarus, is thereby also violating the Olympic values, the values of sport and gymnastics, which are universally committed to peace, understanding and solidarity between countries and peoples.  

This behavior must be sanctioned and it must also have consequences in sport.  

We demand from the world federation of gymnastics, FIG, as well as from the European federation European Gymnastics to exclude immediately and until further notice all Russian and Belarusian representatives from all committees.  

Politics should not be made and carried out at the expense of sport, this is the basic position of the Swiss Gymnastics Federation. However, in view of the aggression of the Russian government towards a sovereign country and the obvious breach of international law, we consider a change of our previous position to be appropriate.    

Athletes from Russia and Belarus together with their support staff have already been punished and excluded from all international competitions. However, the consequences must be borne by everyone in the sport system – including the officials. Therefore, we call upon the FIG and European Gymnastics to immediately and until further notice exclude all Russian and Belarusian officials and to relieve them of their functions.