Lithuanian organizers have banned athletes from Russia and Belarus from representing their countries

Organizers of the Vilnius Marathon in Lithuania have barred Russian and Belarusian nationals from representing their countries in the standings and receiving awards, according to the event’s press service.

The race organizers have introduced special conditions for Russian and Belarusian participants: they must present a Lithuanian residence permit and submit a written declaration denouncing Russia’s “military actions.” In addition, they are excluded from prize eligibility and cannot appear in the official standings under their nationalities.

“All athletes from Russia and Belarus agree that by participating in the event they are competing without competition and are not eligible for prizes or awards,” according to the Rules page of the marathon’s official website. Russian and Belarussian athletes must also provide “a freely signed document in English or Lithuanian expressing opposition to Russian hostilities,” reads another point.

When asked by Russian media outlet Volna if targeting only Russian and Belarusian athletes constituted discrimination, the organizers dodged the question, saying that “only Lithuanian citizens” are eligible for prizes because the race is part of the “closed championship of Lithuania.”

When asked whether the nationalities of athletes from other countries will be listed in the standings, the organizers confirmed that they will.

The Vilnius Marathon is scheduled for September 14 and will feature multiple events, including a full marathon, half marathon, 10km, 5km, and a 200m children’s race. Entry fees range from €15 to €65. Top prizes are worth up to €1,500 ($1,700).

Since the Ukraine conflict escalated in February of 2022, Russian and Belarusian athletes have been banned from many international sporting events, with Western-led organizers citing “solidarity with Ukraine.” Moscow has condemned the bans, accusing Western sports bodies of politicizing athletics.

Lithuania and its Baltic neighbors, Estonia and Latvia, have long worked to sever cultural ties with Russia. Since the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict, these former Soviet republics have intensified this drive, which has been fueled by claims that Russia could attack the region coming from Western officials. In a recent security report, Lithuanian authorities named Russia, Belarus, and China as the country’s main threats.

Moscow, which denies any intention of attacking the Baltics, has accused the nations of harboring “extreme Russophobia” and downgraded diplomatic ties with them in 2023.