The Executive Committee of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will decide between March 28 and 30 on sanctions against Russia and Belarus, the status of athletes from both countries and solidarity measures with Ukraine.
The themes, related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, will be discussed in Lausanne, Switzerland, and after consultations by the IOC with its members, national Olympic committees, international federations and athletes, with the aim of reaching the Paris 2024 Olympic horizon. Play, as several qualifiers are starting and others are already underway.
The organization recommended on January 25 that athletes from both countries be re-admitted to international competitions, provided that “they have not actively supported the war” and are acting under a neutral flag.
Also relying on a United Nations (UN) report arguing that it is “discriminatory” to prohibit the participation of athletes, referees and other sports agents based on their nationality, the IOC defended that “no athlete can be deprived of competing based on your passport”.
This opening of the IOC provoked strong resistance from the Ukrainians, who threatened to boycott Paris2024, with the country’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, reminding that “Olympic principles and those of war are opposites”.
“It is clear that every neutral flag of Russian sportsmen is stained with blood”attacked the Ukrainian president, who criticized the IOC’s “hypocrisy”: “Russia must put an end to aggression and terror, and only then will it be possible to talk about Russian participation in the context of the Olympic movement.”
National Olympic committees and international federations disagree.
Nevertheless, the International Boxing Federation will admit Russian and Belarusian boxers to the Women’s World Cup, which will take place in New Delhi.
At the end of February, the IOC assumed it was “taking into account” the “concern” of 30 countries, including Portugal, regarding the inclusion of these athletes in the Games that will take place in the Gallic capital between July. August 26 and 11 from 2024.
A week ago, the Paris2024 organizing committee assumed that the decision on the presence of Russian and Belarusian athletes will not be theirs, as they will be more concerned about how to support the Ukrainians.
“The IOC, depending on what the international federations do and even if Russian and Belarusian athletes have qualified, will be able to say whether or not it accepts them to participate in these Games. This decision has not yet been made. And the Paris2024 Organizing Commission disagrees. position to decide”emphasized the chairman of the organization.
Tony Estanguet stressed the fact that Paris2024 cannot be the priority, but that the war in Ukraine can end soon and “how to best support the Ukrainian people, the Ukrainian athletes”.
Source: DN
