DETROIT, Mich. (WWJ) — Athletes who currently live in Russia and Belarus will not be allowed to run in this year's Boston Marathon, the Boston Athletic Association said in a statement Wednesday, making it clear that the rule does not also apply to citizens living outside of the country.
For example, the association said, those who are Russian or Belarusian citizens, but are not current residents in those countries will still be allowed to run in the race scheduled for Monday, April 18. However, they will not be able to run under the flag of either country.
The B.A.A. added that the organization, its races, and events will not recognize the country affiliation or flag of Russia or Belarus until further notice.
"Like so many around the world, we are horrified and outraged by what we have seen and learned from the reporting in Ukraine," President & CEO of the B.A.A. Tom Grilk said. "We believe that running is a global sport, and as such, we must do what we can to show our support to the people of Ukraine."
Across both the Boston Marathon and the B.A.A. 5K event, the ban will affect 63 athletes, a B.A.A. spokesperson told CNN.
Last year, there were 35 Russian runners in the race and 12 Ukrainians, according to NPR.
There were not any runners from Belarus among the total of 18,000 athletes participating in the event last year, according to The Washington Post.
The 126th Boston Marathon is expected to have nearly 30,000 participants this year, as it returns to its usual April date. The event was cancelled in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic and was rescheduled last year until October 2021.
It costs $205 for U.S. residents that qualify to enter the race, and $225 for international residents. The B.A.A. said in their statement that they will work to refund those who can't participate in the event anymore.
"The B.A.A. will make reasonable attempts to refund the athletes from Russia or Belarus who will no longer be able to participate, within the constraints as imposed by federal and international sanctions," the B.A.A. said in their statement.
They are not the only sports related organization who has distanced themselves from Russia during this time, as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and FIFA, among many others, have banned Russian athletes from participating.
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