No Russian showcase, bans for 'handful' of firms at Mobile World Congress - organizer

GSMA's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) John Hoffman is pictured during an interview with Reuters in Barcelona, Spain, February 25, 2022. REUTERS/Nacho Doce

BARCELONA/STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - There will be no Russian pavilion at the telecoms industry's biggest annual gathering and a "handful" of Russian firms will be barred from it because of sanctions imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, the event's organizer said on Friday.

The organizers of the Mobile World Congress condemned Moscow's actions, but have no plans to cancel or postpone the gathering scheduled between Feb. 28 and March 3 in Barcelona, John Hoffman, the chief executive of event organizer GSMA, told Reuters.