The International School Sport Federation (ISF) has condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and suspended the membership rights of the Russian Federation and Belarus until further notice.

The ISF’s Executive Committee took the decision at an extraordinary meeting on 1 March.

The action means the Russian Federation loses its hosting rights for the 20th ISF Gymnasiade 2024, which were to be held in Yekaterinburg, Russia.

The Russian Federation and Belarus are not allowed to participate in any ISF events until further notice or attend or vote in ISF General Assembly and Executive Committee meetings.

The ISF called for the war in Ukraine to cease immediately. It urged its members to demonstrate solidarity with the teachers, students and people of Ukraine and to be aligned with the decisions of the International Olympic Committee.

“The war in Ukraine goes against all goals and aims of ISF which convey the values of peace, friendship, solidarity, and the promotion of education through sport for empowering school students in becoming tomorrow’s leaders based on the sport and Olympic values of friendship, fair-play, tolerance and understanding,” it said.