Nine European Union member states have called on the European Commission to block international sports bodies from accessing European funding after the International Olympic Committee recommended reinstating Russian athletes for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
The joint letter, addressed to EU sports commissioner Glenn Micallef, was initiated by Estonia and signed by the Netherlands, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Sweden, Romania, Finland and Denmark. Published on 14 July, it demands the IOC, the International Fencing Federation and World Aquatics be stripped of EU financial support following the IOC executive board's 7 July decision to recommend Russia's readmission.
The European Commission responded that it does not fund the IOC and that the organisation has no access to European funds. However, Brussels said it disagrees with the IOC's decision to allow Russian athletes to compete for places at the 2028 Summer Olympics, noting the position aligns with the European Council's June 2026 conclusions.