Sportsmen and women should not be punished for the internal political workings of any country and should certainly not be used as a pawn in the game of political chess.
When we think about creating a shared future in a fractured world, sport can be clearly singled out as a hugely effective forum for uniting people of all backgrounds and beliefs. Sport carries a uniquely unifying power that serves as an important connective tissue, binding people together both across and within societies.