On Tuesday, July 14, 2026, nine European nations—Estonia, Denmark, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, and Sweden—petitioned the European Union to cut funding to major sports bodies, including the International Olympic Committee (IOC), World Aquatics, and the International Fencing Federation (FIE). This move follows these organizations' decisions to readmit Russian and Belarusian athletes into international competitions.

The letter, addressed to European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport Glenn Micallef, emphasized that respect for human rights, the rule of law, and peaceful international relations are fundamental to the Olympic movement and international sport. The nine nations argued that allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete disregards the challenges faced by Ukrainian athletes, who suffer from displacement, damaged infrastructure, and military enlistment, limiting their ability to train equally.

"Any assertions that sport can be separated from politics ring hollow when thousands of innocent Ukrainians have lost their lives and when sport continues to be instrumentalised by the Russian and Belarusian regimes," the statement said.

The nations called for the exclusion of these sports bodies from the EU’s Erasmus+ and other financial support programs. They also proposed restricting the participation of non-compliant organizations in key European sports forums and EU-led development discussions.

This collective action represents the strongest push yet by EU member states to leverage financial influence against international sports organizations over the readmission of Russian and Belarusian athletes. It sets the stage for a potential confrontation between European governments and the Olympic movement ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

On July 7, 2026, the IOC executive board provisionally lifted its suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee, stating that previous restrictions on Russian athletes were no longer applicable. The IOC, World Aquatics, and FIE have not yet responded to requests for comment.

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