The president of the Olympic Athletes Commission (CAO), Diana Gomes, spoke on Wednesday in favor of the presence of Russians and Belarusians in Paris 2024, despite the “knot in the stomach” when she thinks about the situation of the Ukrainians.
“Regarding our athletes and the entities that represent the CAO of the different countries, the majority is in favor of the decision of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). In Portugal, there are voices of revolt more with the war, not with the return of athletes to competition. The majority is in favor of the decision that sport be a tool to appeal for peace, as it was in the creation of the Games”, revealed the official, in statements to Lusa.
The IOC has revealed “openness” for the reintegration of Russians and Belarusians, subject to a set of conditions, including competing under a neutral flag and without any symbol of their countries, as well as not having supported the war, a situation that has been strongly 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 they finally 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 performance,” said Diana Gomes, confident that “the vast majority” of those currently disabled are against the war.
By putting himself in the ‘skin’ of a Ukrainian athlete, he assumes that this is the “most complicated perspective”, that is, a “knot in the stomach” due to the current situation.
“I can only, in a very basic way, think as if we were children and our parents misbehaved. And it has nothing to do with children being punished for their parents’ behavior. It is the only way to put ourselves in their place. I wonder if the children of other parents who misbehave should be hurt by this? This situation is very complicated, it is very delicate to make this assessment ”, she acknowledges.
Between the desire for Olympic participation by Russians and Belarusians and the desire that the threat of a boycott of Ukraine not materialize, he expresses the “hope” that he will be able to see everyone competing in Paris 2024.
“I and we all have to keep hoping for that, however, I am very concerned to see arms supplies and unilateral support promoting the war to continue. And that always gives the feeling that it will last longer than the Olympic Games, I and all of us have to keep hoping that the war ends before, or somehow suspend it so that peace can be lived in that time ” , he concluded.
On Tuesday, the Russian Olympic Committee (COR) demanded the presence of its athletes at Paris 2024 “under exactly the same conditions” as everyone else, and also advised Ukraine to miss the event as a form of protest.
“Russians must participate in exactly the same conditions as all other athletes. Any additional conditions and criteria are not welcome, especially those that have a political component that is absolutely unacceptable for the Olympic Movement”, stressed COR President Stanislav Pozdnyakov.
After the IOC expressed its openness to those excluded, by complying with certain rules, several Ukrainian leaders, who are fighting to avoid the participation scenario, have already admitted to missing the event, denouncing the “hypocrisy” of the IOC and accusing it of being ” a promoter of war, death and destruction”.
Source: TSF
