Status: 03.02.2023 3:29 p.m
In a joint statement by the ministers responsible for sport, the Baltic states and Poland have firmly opposed the IOC’s push to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes back into world sport. Poland’s minister spoke of a coalition of almost 40 states and indicated a possible broad boycott of the 2024 Olympic Games. On the other hand, there was approval for the IOC plans from US politicians.
“We, the sports ministers of the Baltic States and Poland, condemn the efforts of the International Olympic Committee (IOC),” said Piret Hartman (Estonia), Anda Caksa (Latvia), Jurgita Siugzdiniene (Lithuania) and Kamil Bortniczuk on February 2 (Poland).
Poland’s Sports Minister Bortniczuk spoke on Polish state television about a broad front of other states and governments opposing the efforts of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete in world sports again as neutral athletes and thus allow them to participate in enable the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Poland’s sports minister: “40 countries against IOC initiative”
“I think that in the coming week 40 countries will take a very firm and very clear stance against Russians and Belarusians starting at the Olympics,” said Bortniczuk, promising a clear common position by the end of next week.
Efforts to bring back Russian and Belarusian athletes under the guise of neutrality legitimized the two countries’ political decisions and more widespread propaganda, the Baltic-Polish group stressed in their joint statement. Sport is used to distract from the illegal aggression against Ukraine.
Possible boycott of 2024 Olympics
Poland’s Minister Bortniczuk also hinted at a possible Olympic boycott by several nations should the IOC maintain its plans with Russia. “In that case we will be part of a coalition that will be big enough that it would be pointless to hold the Games,” he was quoted as saying by the BBC.
US government backs IOC move
In his statement, the member of the Polish government assumed that in addition to the members of the European Union, Great Britain and Canada, the USA would also oppose the IOC. However, Washington made it clear in a statement on Thursday (February 2nd, 2023) that it would support the course of IOC President Thomas Bach. Athletes from Russia and Belarus should be allowed to compete in Olympics, but not under their flag, the White House said.
In Germany, the Federal Minister of the Interior, Nancy Faeser (SPD), who is responsible for sports, had strictly rejected the IOC plans and described them as “completely wrong”.
Athletes Germany against return of Russia
The “Athletes Germany” association, which represents the athletes, also considers Russia’s return to world sport to be premature at this point in time. The IOC’s move was premature and sent the wrong signal, it said in a statement. “Numerous implementation questions about reintegration remain unanswered.” A long overdue and differentiated debate on red lines and sanction criteria in world sport will be “nipped in the bud” by the IOC.
There was also criticism from the independent athletes’ association “Global Athlete”: Even if Russian athletes started under a neutral flag, it said in a statement that it was clear that sport was an integral part of Russia’s foreign policy strategy.
DOSB on IOC line
On the other hand, there was understanding for the IOC initiative from the ranks of the associations. Andreas Michelmann, President of the German Handball Federation (DHB), said on Deutschlandfunk that sanctions against states are correct, but not against athletes: “If I take it seriously that it is essentially about the athletes, I have to separate the athletes from the states. ”
The DOSB had also informed the sports show that it would support the IOC initiative and allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to participate “under strict conditions”, which essentially correspond to the catalog of criteria set up by the IOC: A start should only be for neutral participants are possible, no flags, colors, national symbols should be visible and no anthems should be played.
A neutrality, as it was practiced at the Olympic Games, when the Russian colors could be seen on the jerseys, is not sufficient, according to the DOSB. At the Olympic Games in Beijing, participants from Russia competed as a neutral team “of the Russian Olympic Committee” as a result of the systematic doping scandal in Russia.
The fact that the DOSB swung to the IOC line is probably also related to the fact that the umbrella organization under President Thomas Weikert wants to advance the plans for a renewed German Olympic bid.
Ukraine has sharply criticized the IOC’s move
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) led by President Thomas Bach recently triggered a controversy with the announcement that it wanted to open up opportunities for athletes from Russia and Belarus to take part in international competitions despite the war in Ukraine. This could also open the way for these athletes to the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, albeit only under a neutral flag. Ukraine sharply criticized the IOC’s move – and threatened an Olympic boycott.
“It’s not about the passport,” Ukrainian skeleton pilot Vladyslav Heraskevych told ARD. “Russian athletes are not a random group, everyone has their own story, and statistics say that around 85 percent of Russian athletes are members of the military, police or other state structures.”
There was also broad criticism because of the feasibility of the IOC requirements for the reintegration of Russia. Above all, the demand that the participants have to make a “clear commitment” not to support the war in Ukraine seems unrealistic.
IOC relies on neutrality and UN charter
The IOC based its position on the Olympic Charter, but also on expertise from the United Nations (UN), according to which athletes should not be excluded solely on the basis of their nationality. Historically, the IOC has dealt with it differently: during the Balkan wars, for example, participants from the former Yugoslavia were allowed to start as an independent team under the Olympic flag. South Africa, on the other hand, remained excluded from the Games during the apartheid regime.
After consultations with the National Olympic Committees (NOC), IOC President Bach emphasized that there is a lot of support from the international federations for the current position of the IOC with regard to Russia and Belarus. The IOC advance is also supported by a majority of the NOKs, it was also said by the DOSB.
However, in a first statement after the IOC initiative, the World Athletics Federation spoke out against the athletes returning to international competitions and the Olympic Games.
Ukraine-NOK discusses boycott
The National Olympic Committee of Ukraine held an extraordinary general assembly on Friday (February 3, 2023) and also discussed the question of a future Olympic boycott. “Resolute action will be taken against the admission of Russian and Belarusian athletes to international events and the Olympic Games,” said Sports Minister and NOK boss Wadym Hutzajt afterwards.
If these efforts to exclude Russia in the run-up to the 2024 Olympic Games fail, the NOC will vote on a boycott, Hutzajt said. “If we don’t succeed, then – that’s just my personal opinion – the Olympic Games must be boycotted.”