The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has accused Russia of a “cynical attempt to politicise sport” through planned Friendship Games and called on all of its stakeholders not to participate in and support it. Russia has been mainly isolated in international sports since the start of its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, although the IOC is allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete at this year’s Paris Olympics, as neutrals and under strict eligibility criteria. The IOC executive board was to decide on Tuesday whether Russia and Belarus will be allowed to participate at the Paris openi…