Hi everybody, 

A few days ago I sent an email to the IFSC asking for the suspension of Israel from climbing comps. I received the following reply from their media person. My interpretation of this response is that the Olympic committee is the guiding organisation for many others. They certainly led the way in banning Russia following their invasion of Ukraine. Accordingly, I will be writing to the Olympic committee and urge you to do the same.

Thanks for the support,

Jenny

Dear Ms. Chandler,

Thank you for your message and for sharing your opinion with us on such a sensitive subject.

The topic of the sport neutrality has been discussed many times at all levels within our International Federation, in search of a decision-making harmony that can help to deal fairly and to offer solutions detached from individual national interests in any dramatic conflict situation.

This Federation believes in the role of peace ambassador that sport must have.

The choices made by the IFSC cannot fail to reflect its membership of the Olympic world and the need to follow the sports policy lines coming from the International Olympic Committee, which gave precise instructions to the international federations in the months leading up to the Paris Olympics, even regarding any ban request for Israel.

Hence also the recent decision to open competitions to Neutral Athletes from Russia and Belarus (you can find the document we shared with our National Federations at this link: https://images.ifsc-climbing.org/ifsc/image/private/t_q_good/prd/tvhw7owpkzak7pqnv28u.pdf decided by our Federation.

With best regards,

Fabrizio ROSSINI

Media & Communications Director