Russian and Belarusian teams, players, coaches and officials have been banned from all WBSC Europe events in 2023 ©Getty Images

Russian and Belarusian teams, players, coaches and officials have been banned from all World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Europe events in 2023.

They were already barred from all events this year because of the war in Ukraine and the WBSC Europe Executive Board has now extended the sanctions.

The measures also prevent ay WBSC Europe competitions from taking place in Russia or Belarus.

The two countries have largely been frozen out of international sport since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24.

It is more than six months since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine ©Getty Images
It is more than six months since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine ©Getty Images

Belarus has offered military support and the conflict has claimed the lives of at least 6,557 Ukrainian civilians, according to the United Nations, but it blieves the true figure is far higher.

The WBSC Europe stance is in accordance with an International Olympic Committee recommendation that Russians and Belarusians be barred from international sport, because they broke the Olympic truce.

It also mirrors the policy of global body the WBSC.

Prague's staging of the Baseball European Championship and the Baseball5 European Championship in Vilnius and Kaunas are among the events Russia and Belarus will be prevented from attending.