The president of the Commission of Olympic Athletes (CAO), Diana Gomes, spoke out this Wednesday in favor of the presence of Russians and Belarusians in Paris2024, despite the “knot in her stomach” when she thinks about the situation of the Ukrainians.
“With regard to our athletes and the entities representing the CAO of the different countries, the majority is in favor of the decision of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). In Portugal, there are more voices of revolt against the war, not against for the return from the athletes to the competition. The majority is for the decision that sport is a means of appealing to peace, as it was in the creation of the Games,” the official revealed in statements to Lusa.
The IOC has revealed “openness” to the reintegration of Russians and Belarusians, under a series of conditions, including competing under a neutral flag and without any symbol of their country, and not supporting the war, a situation that is strong criticized by Ukraine, which accuses the organization of “hypocrisy” and even threatened to boycott the event.
“I can try to put myself in their shoes where in the end they disagree with the war (…) and see their careers damaged. Now they will be very happy to see their hypothetical return, the light at the end of the tunnel to return to their careers and high achievements,” said Diana Gomes, convinced that “the vast majority” of those currently hindered are against the war.
Putting himself in the “skin” of a Ukrainian sportsman, he assumes that this is the “most complicated perspective”, namely a “knot in the stomach” due to the current situation.
“We must keep the hope that the war will end sooner, or somehow suspend it so that peace can be lived during that time”
“I can only think like we’re kids and our parents are misbehaving. And it has nothing to do with kids being punished for their parents’ behavior. It’s the only way to put ourselves in their shoes. I wonder whether the children of other misbehaving parents should be harmed by this? This situation is very complicated, it is very delicate to make this trade-off,” he admits.
Between the desire for the Olympic participation of Russians and Belarusians and the desire that the threat of a boycott of Ukraine does not materialize, he expresses the “hope” to see everyone participate in Paris2024.
“I and everyone else should hold out hope for that, but I am very concerned about arms shipments and unilateral support that promotes the continuation of the war. And that always gives the feeling that it will last longer than the Olympics. Me and everyone else from we must keep hoping that the war will end sooner, or somehow be suspended so that peace can be lived during that time,” he concluded.
On Tuesday, the Russian Olympic Committee (COR) demanded the presence of its athletes in Paris2024 “under the exact same conditions” as everyone else, also advising Ukraine to miss the event as a form of protest.
“Russians must participate under exactly the same conditions as all other athletes. Any additional conditions and criteria are not welcome, especially those with a political component that is absolutely unacceptable to the Olympic Movement,” emphasized COR President Stanislav Pozdnyakov.
After the IOC declared openness to the excluded, by adhering to certain rules, several Ukrainian leaders, fighting to avoid the participation scenario, have already admitted to missing the event, denouncing the IOC’s “hypocrisy” and accusing it of being “a promoter of war, death and destruction”.
Source: DN
