It is true that Russian athletes cannot do anything for the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “But the massive revolt worldwide is a sign. This attack, which violates international law, this breach of promises, cannot leave us in a faint.”said Beucher of the daily newspaper “Welt”.
Beucher speaks out against the ban
At the same time, he refused to cancel the Paralympics taking place in Beijing from March 4th to 13th. This would leave no impression on Russian President Vladimir Putin. “A ban on the participation of Russian athletes, on the other hand, could, in my opinion, affect Mr. Putin’s nationalistic consciousness more.”said Beucher.
He now wants to ask the President of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the Brazilian Andrew Parsons, to think about such an exclusion scenario in the committees and in consultation with the International Olympic Committee. “I cannot and do not want to imagine that at the Paralympics Russia, even if not as a nation, but as a Russian Paralympic Committee, will march in at the opening ceremony”said Beucher.