NY Road Runners: Ban Russian & Belarusian athletes from participating in NYC marathon.
NY Road Runners: Ban Russian & Belarusian athletes from participating in NYC marathon.
The Issue
To the leadership of the New York Road Runners (NYRR) Organization,
We know, like many others around New York and the world, for over 6 months you have been following the truly horrific and devastatingly tragic events unfolding in Ukraine as the result of Russia’s unprovoked invasion. Many Ukrainians, including children were killed, raped, misplaced from their homes they grew up and left their memories at or were left as orphans. They will never see their parents, never return to their homes, or simply will never be the same! One of many stories is the story of a young man, who has often asked his friend, a fellow Ukrainian, and a member of Ukrainian Running Club of NY, questions about NYC as the city of his dream to visit. He was a family man, who loved his country and who has died defending Ukraine, leaving his wife and two children behind. His dream of running NYC marathon will never come to fruition.
Many international sporting bodies have made decisions to bar Russian and Belarusian participation in their events (3). The International Paralympic Committee made this decision one day before the first events in this year’s games, the Boston Athletic Association made the similar decision days before marathon (12), London Marathon Events (LME) announced banning Russian or Belarussian nationals from the future events (13), International Olympic Committee issued a statement asking sporting organizations to consider banning Russians and Belarussians to participate in sport event (14) …. just to name a few. If they can do it, what is stopping the NYRR from taking the same stance in showing their support for Ukraine and Ukrainian-Americans?
What images and stories does the NYRR need to hear to understand the level of atrocities being committed against Ukraine on a daily basis to take action? Is it the total devastation of Mariupol (4), where the bombing of a maternity hospital (5), theater (sheltering thousands of civilians, many children)(6), bodies lying in Bucha for weeks (10), and hundreds of residential buildings were laid to rubble. Maybe it is the countless times humanitarian corridors were impeded by the Russian army (7), killing innocent families fleeing for their lives and burning their bodies or covering them with live mines (8)? Not only do they block humanitarian aid from reaching children dying of thirst and hunger, they steal it and take it for themselves (9). And what about recentnuclear threat, not only to Ukraine, but entire society?(11)
This is only a glimpse into the life that ordinary Ukrainians are currently living.
By taking no further actions, the NYRR is implicitly normalizing these diabolical acts. Research shows that more that 80% of Russians support war in Ukraine (15). The banning of Russian and Belarusian athletes from competition is not meant to be seen as a punishment against them. This petition should be seen as means to support Ukraine and take a collective responsibility! Russian and Belarusian athletes can join us in solidarity by not participating in this year’s events, for what pride would they have in representing their countries when their armed forces are causing these horrors?
In addition, similarly to Boston (1) and other world sports organizations, please offer refunds and deferral for all Ukrainian athletes for this year’s NYRR events. We view this as simply a moral obligation, as many in Ukraine are unable to leave the country due to joining Armed Forces, the proclamation of martial law and the restriction of adult men from leaving the country (2) among many factors contributing to the impossibility of Ukrainians being able to participate in NYRR events this year.
We are asking the NYRR to take action! Be strong and take a stance not become organization that approves state-sponsored terrorism!
Слава Украïнi!
Thank you,
Members and Supporters of the Ukrainian Running Club – New York
Sources:
1. https://boston.cbslocal.com/2022/02/28/boston-marathon-baa-ukraine-runner-refunds/
3. https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/01/sport/sports-russia-banned-from-football-rugby-spt-intl/index.html
5. https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2022/03/europe/mariupol-maternity-hospital-attack/index.html
6. https://www.npr.org/2022/03/25/1088735408/mariupol-drama-theater-deaths
8. https://www.politico.com/news/2022/04/03/ukraine-accuses-russia-massacre-00022595
10. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/04/world/europe/bucha-ukraine-bodies.html
12. https://www.baa.org/baa-policy-russian-and-belarusian-athletes
15. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/09/07/russia-war-ukraine-public-opinion/
1,808
The Issue
To the leadership of the New York Road Runners (NYRR) Organization,
We know, like many others around New York and the world, for over 6 months you have been following the truly horrific and devastatingly tragic events unfolding in Ukraine as the result of Russia’s unprovoked invasion. Many Ukrainians, including children were killed, raped, misplaced from their homes they grew up and left their memories at or were left as orphans. They will never see their parents, never return to their homes, or simply will never be the same! One of many stories is the story of a young man, who has often asked his friend, a fellow Ukrainian, and a member of Ukrainian Running Club of NY, questions about NYC as the city of his dream to visit. He was a family man, who loved his country and who has died defending Ukraine, leaving his wife and two children behind. His dream of running NYC marathon will never come to fruition.
Many international sporting bodies have made decisions to bar Russian and Belarusian participation in their events (3). The International Paralympic Committee made this decision one day before the first events in this year’s games, the Boston Athletic Association made the similar decision days before marathon (12), London Marathon Events (LME) announced banning Russian or Belarussian nationals from the future events (13), International Olympic Committee issued a statement asking sporting organizations to consider banning Russians and Belarussians to participate in sport event (14) …. just to name a few. If they can do it, what is stopping the NYRR from taking the same stance in showing their support for Ukraine and Ukrainian-Americans?
What images and stories does the NYRR need to hear to understand the level of atrocities being committed against Ukraine on a daily basis to take action? Is it the total devastation of Mariupol (4), where the bombing of a maternity hospital (5), theater (sheltering thousands of civilians, many children)(6), bodies lying in Bucha for weeks (10), and hundreds of residential buildings were laid to rubble. Maybe it is the countless times humanitarian corridors were impeded by the Russian army (7), killing innocent families fleeing for their lives and burning their bodies or covering them with live mines (8)? Not only do they block humanitarian aid from reaching children dying of thirst and hunger, they steal it and take it for themselves (9). And what about recentnuclear threat, not only to Ukraine, but entire society?(11)
This is only a glimpse into the life that ordinary Ukrainians are currently living.
By taking no further actions, the NYRR is implicitly normalizing these diabolical acts. Research shows that more that 80% of Russians support war in Ukraine (15). The banning of Russian and Belarusian athletes from competition is not meant to be seen as a punishment against them. This petition should be seen as means to support Ukraine and take a collective responsibility! Russian and Belarusian athletes can join us in solidarity by not participating in this year’s events, for what pride would they have in representing their countries when their armed forces are causing these horrors?
In addition, similarly to Boston (1) and other world sports organizations, please offer refunds and deferral for all Ukrainian athletes for this year’s NYRR events. We view this as simply a moral obligation, as many in Ukraine are unable to leave the country due to joining Armed Forces, the proclamation of martial law and the restriction of adult men from leaving the country (2) among many factors contributing to the impossibility of Ukrainians being able to participate in NYRR events this year.
We are asking the NYRR to take action! Be strong and take a stance not become organization that approves state-sponsored terrorism!
Слава Украïнi!
Thank you,
Members and Supporters of the Ukrainian Running Club – New York
Sources:
1. https://boston.cbslocal.com/2022/02/28/boston-marathon-baa-ukraine-runner-refunds/
3. https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/01/sport/sports-russia-banned-from-football-rugby-spt-intl/index.html
5. https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2022/03/europe/mariupol-maternity-hospital-attack/index.html
6. https://www.npr.org/2022/03/25/1088735408/mariupol-drama-theater-deaths
8. https://www.politico.com/news/2022/04/03/ukraine-accuses-russia-massacre-00022595
10. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/04/world/europe/bucha-ukraine-bodies.html
12. https://www.baa.org/baa-policy-russian-and-belarusian-athletes
15. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/09/07/russia-war-ukraine-public-opinion/
1,808
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Petition created on September 29, 2022