How to make an impression on a rogue state

Some of the sources I read, notably economic historian Adam Tooze, are doubtful that the massive financial sanctions that Europe, the United States, and various friends have slapped on Russia over the invasion of Ukraine will make much of a dent in Putin's resolve. Well, unless these countries really bite the bullet and stop buying Russian fossil fuels ...

I'm no judge of that -- but my life experience does tell me that the very widespread expulsion of Russian teams and athletes from international sports will make an impression. Working on struggle newspapers in apartheid South Africa in 1990, we saw that the international sports boycott was what really seemed to grate on white citizens, underlining that their country was an international racist parish. Sure, consumer products could sometimes be smuggled in -- but their teams could not show their stuff on the world stage and that bit deep.

Sports sanctions are hell on the athletes since the Russian invasion isn't their fault, but it might get the attention of a population likely hoping to just keep heads down.

The list of sports sanctions over the Ukraine invasion is long:

• Russian and Belorussian figure skaters won't be allowed to compete at the International Skating Union world championship March 21 in Montpellier, France.

• FIFA, soccer’s international governing body, broke with its usual lumbering, corrupt pattern, quickly kicking all Russian club and national teams out of international competition. Russia is out of the 2022 World Cup. The European Soccer League pulled it's upcoming championship out of St. Petersburg.

• The Paralympic Winter Games were about to begin in Beijing on Friday. They go on without Russian competitors. 

• The International Ice Hockey Federation banned Russian and Belarusian teams.

• Formula 1 canceled the Grand Prix of Russia that was to be held in Sochi, trying to stay in front of furious drivers who were threatening not to attend.

• The World Curling Federation began the process of removing the Russian Federation’s entries from the World Championships.

• World Taekwondo said they were stripping Putin of an honorary black belt, as Russia’s attack on Ukraine goes against the sport’s motto: “Peace is more precious than triumph”.

• The International Judo Federation (IJF) suspended Russian President Vladimir Putin as its honorary president.

One more way for world civil society to concentrate Putin's attention ...