Olympic games
Beuth thinks the idea of neutral Russian athletes is “nonsense”
Hesse’s Sports Minister Peter Beuth. photo
© Sebastian Gollnow/dpa
Hesse’s Sports Minister Peter Beuth is a man of clear words. He thinks it is fundamentally wrong to let Russians and Belarusians start as neutral athletes at the Paris Games.
Hesse’s Sports Minister Peter Beuth has once again ruled out the exclusion of athletes from Russia and Belarus Olympic Games 2024 in Paris required.
“The idea of neutral Russian athletes is nonsense, a mockery of Ukraine and a threat to the integrity of the Olympic and Paralympic Games,” said the CDU politician at a panel discussion on “War and the Olympic Games in Europe – What does that mean for the Sport and the athletes?” in Wiesbaden. He still considers the decision of the International Olympic Committee to allow athletes from the two countries to return to international sports competitions as neutral athletes to be fundamentally wrong.
It is completely unclear how, on the basis of the recommendations made by the IOC, a smooth and safe running of sporting events can be guaranteed and how the games can be credibly prevented from being used by the Russian side for war propaganda. Many people find it unbearable to imagine that Russian and Belarusian athletes are preparing for the Olympics, while athletes from Ukraine “were unable to train because of bombed sports facilities, stayed away from the games or were killed in the war,” said Beuth.
Beuth calls for changes to the Olympic Charter
He also referred to his call for an amendment to the Olympic Charter. This should be supplemented by a passage according to which states that are waging a war of aggression in violation of international law and thus breaking the Olympic truce could in future be fundamentally excluded from the Olympic Games, argued Beuth. By changing the Olympic Charter, the IOC could finally take a stand and reunite the sports world.
In May 2023, the conference of sports ministers of the federal states issued a corresponding decision against the re-admission of Russian and Belarusian athletes. In addition, in a joint declaration, 41 countries, including Germany, spoke out against the participation of neutral athletes from Russia and Belarus.