Finland to restrict entry to Russian athletes ahead of winter sports events

HELSINKI (AP) — Finland says it will restrict entry to the country for Russian athletes because of the war in Ukraine, potentially affecting a raft of winter sports. The move follows a backlash in Finland to Russia being reinstated for the ice hockey world championships, but its effects could mostly be felt in other sports. kAm“pD =@?8 2D #FDD:2’D H2C @7 288C6DD:@? 4@?E:?F6D[ #FDD:2? 2E9=6E6D 92G6 ?@ 3FD:?6DD :? u:?=2?5] %96:C 6?ECJ :?E@ E96 4@F?ECJ H@F=5 36 2 E9C62E E@ u:?=2?5’D :?E6C?2E:@?2= C6=2E:@?D] %96 D2>6 :D ECF6 @7 @E96C D9@CE\E6C> H@C< F?56C G:D2D E92E :D ?@E 6DD6?E:2= E@ u:?=2?5’D ?2E:@?2= :?E6C6DED[Q |:?:DE6C 7@C u@C6:8? p772:CD t=:?2 '2=E@?6? D2:5 :? 2 DE2E6>6?E]k^Am kAm%96 u:??:D9 7@C6:8? >:?:DECJ D2:5 E96 >62DFC6 H@F=5 27764E #FDD:2? 2E9=6E6D 4@>A6E:?8 F?56C k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^D<::?8\7:D\CFDD:2\36=2CFD\?6FEC2=\37gf337g43ddh_27g43_4b636bgc_g4bQm?6FEC2= DE2EFDk^2m 2D H6== 2D E9@D6 4@>A6E:?8 7@C ?2E:@?2= E62>D]k^Am kAmu:?=2?5 9@DED 2 7:8FC6 D<2E:?8 vC2?5 !C:I ?6IE H66< 2?5 2 4C@DD\4@F?ECJ D<: (@C=5 rFA E9:D >@?E9] q@E9 DA@CED 2==@H #FDD:2?D E@ 4@>A6E6 2D “?6FEC2= 2E9=6E6D]”k^Am kAm~?6 >2;@C 6G6?E =:<6=J E@ 36 27764E65 :D E96 7:8FC6 D<2E:?8 H@C=5 492>A:@?D9:AD :? %2>A6C6[ u:?=2?5[ :? |2C49] #FDD:2? D<2E6CD 2C6 6IA64E65 E@ 36 2>@?8 E96 E@A >652= 4@?E6?56CD]k^Am kAm%96 492?86 E2<6D 67764E 7C@> |@?52J[ D@ :E :D 5@6D ?@E 2AA62C =:<6=J E@ 27764E E9:D H666D :? w6=D:?<: 36EH66? E96 $62EE=6 zC2<6? 2?5 r2C@=:?2 wFCC:42?6D] u:?=2?5 :D 2>@?8 2 8C@FA @7 tFC@A62? E62>D H9:49 92G6 G@H65 ?@E E@ A=2J 282:?DE #FDD:2 2E FA4@>:?8 9@4<6J H@C=5 492>A:@?D9:AD]k^Am kAmx? E96 =@?86C E6C>[ u:?=2?5 :D 2=D@ 9@DE:?8 E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^2E9=6E:4D\6FC@A62?\492>A:@?D9:A\96=D:?<:\a_b_\`7a`7c_54a46e_hg_c6aa46eh4c46hgeQmtFC@A62? EC24< 2?5 7:6=5 492>A:@?D9:ADk^2m :? a_b_] %C242:?E2:?D 2 3=2?<6E 32? @? #FDD:2? A2CE:4:A2E:@?[ E9@F89 E92E :D 724:?8 2 =682= 492==6?86]k^Am k9C ^m kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^2FE@\C24:?8Qm$66 p!’D 7F== 2FE@ C24:?8 4@G6C286 96C6k^2mk^Am