Rikka Pakarinen and Sari Essayah were irritated by their colleagues’ flirting with Russia

Individual members of the International Olympic Committee, Secretary General of the International Ski Federation Michel Vion and President of the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee Susanne Lyons have flirted with Russia in recent weeks. It has been commented that Russian athletes could return to international competitions in the next few months.

– I don’t understand any of these kinds of conversations. The reasons for punishing Russia have not disappeared, on the contrary. The situation is even more critical when Vladimir Putin actions are even more unacceptable. It would be a really strange signal if sports made a completely opposite decision to the rest of society, says the vice-president of the Finnish Sports Association Riikka Pakarinen.

Last February, shortly after the war of aggression started by Putin, the International Olympic Committee recommended that various sports federations exclude Russian athletes from competitions. The IOC has no control over individual sports federations, but almost all federations fielded a red national team.

– I don’t support these ideas that have come up recently about including the Russians. I am most surprised by the outcome of the USA’s Lyons, states the Finnish member of the IOC Sari Essayah.

– A partial business launch is underway in Russia. According to Putin’s comments, the country is not only at war with Ukraine, but also with the West, Essayah continues.

Shut up!

Finnish athlete member of the IOC Emma Terho told on Monday on MTV’s Tulosruudu that there has been a discussion in the IOC about the return of the Russians.

– You shouldn’t even bring it up. I am really concerned about these discussions. There are no indications of an abatement of hostilities. Disgusting behavior at this moment to even bring this up. Until the hostilities are over, there should be no discussion, Pakarinen states.

The situation has become so tense that the Ukrainian member of the IOC Sergei Bubka moves around with security guards at events.

– The Nordic Olympic Committees sent a joint message opposing the return of the Russians in this situation and thus supporting the IOC’s current policy. But we can’t stop anyone coming out with opposing opinions, Essayah commented.

The people in favor of freeing the Russians have justified their position with the legal protection of the individual.

– We know exactly how Putin has combined politics and sports. If the Russians were allowed to compete, it would be a clear hand out to Putin, Pakarinen states.

– Of course, I understand it from the point of view of individual athletes – the war is not their fault, he continues.

In Russia, sport has always been a tool of political power. Some of the Russian athletes are currently employed in the Red Army.

In the IOC, the return of the Russians has been supported, for example, by a few African Olympic committees.

– These countries are dependent on Russia. Then there are, for example, the Olympic committees of South American countries, for whom war is a distant thing, Essayah says.

Rebels

Among others, freestyle, chess, tennis and judo have allowed Russians to participate in their games during the war of aggression. In many commercial ball games, such as the ice hockey SM league, the Russians have been able to continue their games.

– I have a negative attitude to this as well, and I don’t understand these decisions, Pakarinen says.

– I don’t think it’s wise, because there is an IOC recommendation, Essayah estimates.

The experienced manager explains why the Russians have been allowed to participate.

– There are sports associations that are in the pocket of the Russians. In the background, there are oligarchs financing the operation, and as in the International Boxing Federation, Russians are elected to the leadership, says the chairman of the Christian Democrats and a member of parliament.

No Russians were seen at the Wimbledon tennis tournament, as Great Britain forbade participation.

If the FIS were to release the Russians to compete in the 2022–23 season, the door would probably be closed at least at the World Cup in Tallinn. Estonia has closed its borders to Russians.

Money out

Coop, the main partner of the cross-country skiing world cup, announced that it would withdraw from the deal if Russians were seen competing during hostilities.

– The main sponsors would withdraw more widely, because the corporate social responsibility is so great. The presence of Russians would be seen very quickly in the sport in question and would have a strong impact on athletes from other countries, Pakarinen, who works as the CEO of the Finnish startup community, estimates.

The presence of the Russians during the war would cause concrete problems.

How would security issues be handled? Would the Ukrainians agree to be in the same competitions? Would the World Anti-Doping Agency Wada be able to conduct tests in Russia?

Director at the tikunnoka

Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz has been the coward of Western leaders in sanctions against Russia. Recently, he said that he is unwilling to give Ukraine armor for defensive combat.

Putin’s defiant rhetoric, together with the challenges of energy supply, has apparently spooked Scholz.

When it comes to influencing sports, the chairman of the IOC, a countryman of the Chancellor of the Confederation, takes the lead Thomas Bach.

– Bach has been to Ukraine and was shocked by what he saw, says Essayah, who has been a member of the IOC for more than six years.

Can the IOC give a new recommendation in the coming months, which would give the Russians the green light?

– It is quite difficult for me to see such a situation.