World Friendship Games Postponed to 2025

The Russia-backed World Friendship Games, initially planned for September after the Paris Olympics, have been postponed to 2025 to maximize athlete and official availability. Moscow announced the Games' revival last year, but the International Olympic Committee has opposed it, citing it as a breach of the Olympic Charter.

The Russia-backed World Friendship Games, originally scheduled to take place in September after the Paris Olympics, has been postponed to 2025, the Inside the Games website reported. Russia and ally Belarus have been largely frozen out of international competitions, including the Paris Olympics, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Moscow last year announced it would revive the multi-sport Friendship Games 40 years after holding its first edition when several socialist states boycotted the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. The organisers have now postponed the Games, which would have taken place in Moscow and Yekaterinburg, to a non-Olympic year to "maximise athlete and official availability", the website reported.

"In the interest of all stakeholders, the Organising Committee believes postponing the Games until 2025 is the best course of action, allowing future participants ample time to prepare and maximise their performance in the World Friendship Games," it added. The Games received application from nearly 2,500 athletes from 127 countries to compete in 36 sports, the website said adding new dates would be announced soon.

In March, the director general of the organising committee promised a "record-breaking tournament in terms of its size and the preparation time". The International Olympic Committee has opposed the move to revive the Games calling it a breach of the Olympic Charter.

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