The decision of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to admit Russian and Belarusian athletes under a neutral flag during the 2024 Olympic Games is “wrong” and “encourages” Russia and Belarus to “continue their armed aggression,” Ukraine denounced today.
“The members of the IOC Executive Council who have taken this decision assume responsibility for having encouraged Russia and Belarus to continue their armed aggression against Ukraine,” the Foreign Ministry said.
“There is no doubt that the Kremlin will use every Russian and Belarusian athlete as a weapon in its propaganda war,” he added in a statement.
“Moscow will not fly white and neutral flags during the competitions, as the IOC suggests, but will demonstrate the triumph of its ability to free itself from responsibility for the largest armed conflict in Europe since the Second World War,” continued the text cited by the agency. AFP news.
For kyiv, athletes, “in particular Russians”, represent “often organizations associated with the Russian armed forces” and “some are on active service in the Russian army.”
“The IOC plans to authorize participation in international sports arenas to athletes who not only support the murder of Ukrainian women and children, but are also probably directly involved in these crimes,” Ukrainian diplomacy accused.
Ending nine months of intrigue, the IOC yesterday authorized Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate under a neutral flag in the Paris Games, but under strict conditions.
Only “neutral individual” athletes who pass the qualification processes, who do not actively support the war in Ukraine and who are not contracted by the army or national security agencies will be able to participate.
Eleven of them already meet the criteria, eight Russians and three Belarusians, the IOC said, suggesting a very small delegation.
These conditions of participation were denounced by Russia, which judged them to be “discriminatory” and “against sporting principles”, in the words of Russian Sports Minister Oleg Matytsine, quoted by the TASS press agency.
Matytsine indicated, however, that Russian athletes who have obtained the right to participate in the 2024 Olympic Games “probably” will do so.
On the part of Ukraine, about sixty athletes have already qualified for the Paris Olympic Games (July 26 to August 11).
The German Interior Minister, Nancy Faeser, also spoke on the subject today, calling on the IOC to “very precisely examine” the background of Russian athletes, and exclude from the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris those who have supported the war against Ukraine.
“The warmonger (Vladimir) Putin cannot under any circumstances use the Paris Olympic Games for his propaganda. That Russian teams continue to be excluded and that flags and symbols are prohibited is the least we can expect from the IOC,” said the official. , cited in a statement.
In March 2023, the IOC recommended to international federations the reintegration of Russian and Belarusian athletes, individually, under a neutral flag, on the condition that they had not supported the war started by Russia on February 24, 2022 against Ukraine. and as long as they were not hired by the army or national security agencies.
“It is now up to the IOC and the international federations to examine very precisely whether Russian and Belarusian individual athletes are excluded if they have in any way supported the Russian war of aggression or if they have any relationship with the Russian government or army,” Faeser said.
Source: Ambito
