General view of elite runners at the start of the 2021 Boston Marathon. (Brian Fluharty – USA Today Sports / File Photo)
Russian and Belarusian athletes who were admitted to the Boston Marathon through open registration and living in their home countries will not be allowed to compete in this month’s event, the Boston Athletic Association (BAA) said Wednesday.
Runners who are Russian and Belarusian citizens but live outside of any country will be allowed to compete, but not under the Russian or Belarusian flag.
The restrictions, which also apply to 5K races, are the latest in a series of worldwide sports bans in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Belarus, a key staging ground for the attack, has faced widespread punishment.
“We are shocked and outraged by what we have seen and learned from Ukraine’s reporting,” BAA President and CEO Tom Grillick said in a statement.
“We believe that racing is a global sport and as such, we must do what we can to show our support for the people of Ukraine.”
The BAA said it would not recognize the nation’s affiliation or the flag of Russia or Belarus in any race and event “until further notice”.
The annual road race is the oldest marathon in the world and one of the six, consisting of the prestigious World Marathon Major, which attracts some of the world’s top runners.
This year’s race is set for April 18th.
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