sports policy
Bach versus Zelenskyj: Return of Russian athletes?
IOC boss Thomas Bach contradicts the sharp criticism of a possible return of Russians to the international sports arena. photo
© Bernd Weißbrod/dpa
The IOC wants to enable the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in international competitions. Ukraine reacted with sharp criticism and wants to discuss an Olympic boycott.
IOC boss Thomas Bach has defended the possible re-admission of Russian athletes to international competitions against harsh criticism from Ukraine.
“These considerations are supported – worldwide, by a huge majority,” said the President of the International Olympic Committee to ZDF. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on the other hand, once again called on the IOC and Bach at the top to continue to ban athletes from Russia.
“The Olympic principles and war are fundamentally opposed to each other,” said the Ukrainian head of state in Kyiv. He published a series of photos on social networks of sports facilities in Ukraine that had been destroyed by the war. “Russia must stop aggression and terror, and only then will it be possible to talk about Russia’s participation in the context of the Olympic movement,” said Zelenskyy.
The National Olympic Committee of Ukraine is planning an extraordinary general assembly for February 3 to decide on a possible Olympic boycott should the athletes from Russia and Belarus compete again. This was announced by the Ukrainian wrestler and MP Zhan Belenyuk in the Telegram news channel. The Olympic champion from Tokyo published a letter from the Ukrainian Minister of Sport Vadym Gutzajt, who invited to the meeting.
Invitation to Bachmut
Selenskyj invited Bach to the city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, which is currently particularly hard-fought, in order to get an idea of the destruction. “So that he can see with his own eyes that neutrality does not exist.” Ukrainian athletes today have to save the lives of their loved ones from Russian aggression. Many Ukrainians were killed by Russian attacks, who could have enriched world sport with their talent.
According to IOC President Bach, however, there is a lot of international support for the course of the Olympic governing body. This could also open the way to the 2024 Summer Games in Paris for Russians and Belarusians flying a neutral flag. Among other things, Bach referred to the support of the National Olympic Committees from Africa and Asia.
According to Bach, two special rapporteurs from the UN Human Rights Council have expressed concerns about the further exclusion of Russians and Belarusians. “It’s about people who, according to these two reporters, enjoy human rights,” said the 69-year-old. An exclusion “because of a passport or place of birth” violates the ban on discrimination.
ANOC supports IOC
The IOC also receives support from the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC): “In the Olympic movement we share the firm belief that athletes should not be excluded from competitions because of their passports and that there is a way for Russian and Belarusian athletes to return should be tested under strict conditions in competition operations,” announced the ANOC on Saturday.
The umbrella organization of all NOKs recognized by the IOC admitted that it was a delicate matter. Therefore, the procedure and the provisions for the re-admission of athletes from Russia and Belarus would have to be examined very carefully.