The International Bowling Federation (IBF) has announced that russian and belarusian national teams, officials, and athletes will not be eligible to participate in the 2025 IBF World Cup.
This decision was communicated to all member federations following the latest meeting of the IBF Executive Board.
The decision reflects the IBF's adherence to the recommendations made by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which has advised against the inclusion of russian and belarusian athletes in international competitions in response to russia's launched brazen attack on Ukraine in February 2022.
In the official communication, the IBF emphasized its commitment to monitoring the situation closely and remaining aligned with the IOC's stance. The IBF stated, "We will continue to follow the IOC recommendations on this issue. They may adapt their recommendations and measures according to future developments."
Reports indicate that during russia's invasion of Ukraine, more than 10,000 civilians and over 30,000 Ukrainian defenders lost their lives. Following the invasion, nearly all major sports events, including football, basketball, and the Olympic Games, barred russia from participating with national teams and individual athletes in any major events.
The 2025 IBF World Cup is scheduled to be held from January 5th to 14th, 2025, in Hong Kong, special administrative region of China.
