European winter sports festival: Russian Olympic Committee appeals to overturn ban on its athletes

European winter sports festival: Russian Olympic Committee appeals to overturn ban on its athletes

Earlier, IOC urged sporting bodies to act to isolate Russia after the military invasion.

The Russian Olympic Committee made an urgent appeal Friday to overturn a ban on its athletes competing at a European winter sports festival in Finland.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport said it was setting a timetable for the case ahead of the Winter European Youth Olympic Festival being held from March 20-25.

The ROC appeal challenges a March 2 decision by the executive committee of the European Olympic Committees to exclude Russian and Belarusian athletes because of the war in Ukraine.

In a separate Russian case at CAS, the national soccer federation has appealed against bans on national and club teams by FIFA and UEFA.

Those suspensions were imposed on March 1 within hours of the International Olympic Committee urging sports bodies to act to isolate Russia after the military invasion.