Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks at an international video conference of sports ministers. The Ukrainian President finds clear words against the participation of Russian athletes in the Olympics.
According to the Reuters news agency, a group of 35 countries, including Germany, the United States and Australia, will demand the exclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes even under neutral flags. Reuters refers to information provided by the Italian Minister of Sport, Jurgita Siugzdiniene, following a video conference on the subject that took place at the initiative of Great Britain.
Zelenskyy: “Representatives of this terror state have no place in Olympic competitions”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attended the conference and reinforced his position. “While Russia kills and terrorizes, representatives of this terror state have no place in sports and Olympic competitions”, Zelenskyy said. He published his speech on Friday on his Telegram channel. Because of the Russian war of aggression, a neutral flag is ultimately also required “soaked in blood” and not wearable.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, in a meeting with Ministers of Sport
Ukraine also sees Belarus as a party to the war because the country provides Russian troops with military bases for attacks. Zelenskyj called on the officials to work to protect the Olympic principles and to prevent Russian athletes from being admitted to the competitions.
The President also renewed his criticism of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which his “Honesty unfortunately lost”.
IOC pushes for re-admission as “neutral” athletes
Currently, Russia and Belarus are excluded from many international sports competitions. However, the IOC is aiming for athletes from both countries to return to the international sports stage under neutral flags, provided they clearly commit to the Olympic Charter and “do not actively support” the war in Ukraine.
IOC President Thomas Bach recently declared that an exclusion “because of a passport or place of birth” violates the ban on discrimination. The German Olympic Sports Confederation supports the line of the IOC, the athletes’ representation independent of the DOSB, Athletes Germany, called the IOC’s argument against it “undecided”.
Bach criticizes boycott threats against Ukraine
In a letter to the Ukrainian NOK, Bach criticized the boycott threats from Ukraine. “Claims that returning Russian and Belarusian athletes to the Games would encourage invasion are ‘defamatory'”, wrote Bach, as several media quoted from the letter. The return has not yet been “concretely discussed”, Bach claimed.
The board of the IOC had written in an official statement on January 25th that after discussions with associations and IOC members from national Olympic committees, a clear majority had spoken out in favor of reintegration under a neutral flag.
Paris mayor against participation
Anne Hidalgo, mayor of the 2024 host city Paris, on Thursday reiterated her opposition to Russian and Belarusian athletes participating in the Olympics. “As long as Russian forces continue to bombard you and occupy your territory, I do not want Russian athletes to take part in sporting events”the 63-year-old said to the city council during a visit to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.