Companies and Private Organizations Ramp Up Pressure On Russia – As Western countries run out of ideas for new economic sanctions against Russia, private businesses and institutions are stepping up a pressure campaign that targets Russian and Belarusian civilians in the hope of creating a domestic backlash against the Kremlin.
On Wednesday, the Boston Athletic Association announced in a press release that Russian and Belarusian athletes will not be permitted to take part in this year’s race, which will take place on April 18.
“The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) announced today that Russians and Belarusians, who were accepted into the 2022 Boston Marathon or 2022 B.A.A. 5K as part of the open registration process and are currently residing in either country, will no longer be allowed to compete in either event,” the statement reads.
The association explains that Belarusian and Russian citizens who were accepted into the race but who are not residents of Belarus or Russia will, however, still be allowed to compete. Permitted athletes will not be allowed to represent the flag of either country.
Tom Grilk, the president and CEO of the association, said that they are “horrified and outraged” by the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“We believe that running is a global sport, and as such, we must do what we can to show our support to the people of Ukraine,” he said.
Other Companies Increase the Sanctions Pressure
This week, the Yale School of Management updated a list of more than 600 companies that have withdrawn from Russia – in part or in full.
The list, which is regularly updated by Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and research fellows from the Yale Chief Executive Leadership Institute, shows how global companies are doing all that they can to withdraw from Russia and put pressure on the Kremlin from Russian citizens.
The list reveals hundreds of major businesses all over the world, some of which are continuing to operate in Russia, but many of which are “buying time” – meaning that they have paused new contracts but continue doing business in the country – while others have cut ties with Russia completely.
Among the major companies that have stopped business in Russia entirely are Jaguar, which has suspended all shipments to the country, and technology company IBM which has suspended technology sales to Russia completely.
While some of these businesses have taken action in response to U.S. sanctions – which include the banning of sales of technology made in the United States to Russia – some are taking action of their own accord in the hope that it may send a message to the Kremlin.
Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society.
