Athletes are having their say about the Russia-Ukraine war. Experts say this may become the norm

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has prompted people to choose sides, and athletes and their governing bodies are no exception.

As Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine, athletes around the world used their platforms to speak out, with their messages often amplified by social media. 

Global organizations governing tennis, soccer, the Olympics — even the Ontario Hockey League — have been involved. They've gone from signs of support for Ukraine, to outright competitive bans for Russian athletes. 

"I thought about the athletes right away," said Danielle Campo McLeod, a Paralympic swimming gold medallist and world-record holder from Windsor, Ont. 

"I could just be so empathetic for how devastated I would have felt if that choice was made for me."

On Friday, the president of Ukraine's Paralympic committee touted his team's ability to bring in gold medals despite the turmoil at home.

The team nearly didn't make it to the Games due to issues caused by the war, and just before its opening ceremonies, the International Paralympic Committee expelled athletes from Russia and Belarus.

The Games have often been in a bubble of their own, said Campo McLeod, but the invasion of Ukraine by Russia has shown the sporting world isn't impenetrable to what's happening. 

"I think seeing this and having the way everything is at our fingers these days, it just showed it's not that bubble, and I think we will see future changes from this, but I hope we can always remember the spirit of sport," she said. 

The International Olympic Committee has famously steered clear of political turmoil, as seen earlier this year when many condemned the competition in Beijing due to China's disregard for civil liberties, making the outright ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes relatively "unusual."

That's according to Ann Pegoraro, the Lang Chair in Sport Management at the University of Guelph in Ontario. Many countries have historically been able to avoid political issues at international events, she said.

"For a long time we've seen the idea that sports and politics don't mix, the [IOC] in particular likes to keep athletes apolitical when they're competing, and yet I think the last few weeks have shown us that's not possible anymore," said Pegoraro. 

"We're watching international sport federations grapple with their charters and their bylaws to see how they can enact these bans, so they're having to re-examine themselves."

As governing bodies figure out what to do, athletes are recognizing their own agency in these types of political situations, said Pegoraro.