Ukraine continues to call on the International Olympic Committee to withdraw from giving Russians and Belarusians the opportunity to participate in the 2024 Paris Olympics under a neutral flag. If the request is not heard, Ukraine appeals that athletes representing the Russian army will not be allowed to participate in the Olympics.
The International Olympic Committee is still considering allowing Russians and Belarusians to participate in the Olympics. Ukraine therefore loses faith that the committee will listen to the appeal to abandon this idea. Ukraine sets new conditions in case the Russians and Belarusians are finally allowed to start under a neutral flag.
– We urge the IOC to create specific mechanisms to check this ‘neutrality’. – the chairman of the Ukrainian Olympic Committee appealed. As part of the proposal, he proposed that Russian and Belarusian athletes sign declarations in which they commit themselves to condemning the invasion of Ukraine.
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He also appeals to the committee not to allow athletes who are also military men to participate in the Games, because according to him, 45 of the 71 medals won by the Russians in Tokyo 2020 were won by athletes who belong to the Central Sports Club of the Russian Army. In his appeal, he mentioned Russians who openly supported Russia in the war in international arenas and said he wanted to avoid that at the Olympics. He referred to a Russian rhythmic gymnast who, after receiving a bronze medal at the World Championships in Doha, wore the letter Z on his clothes, a symbol supporting Russia in the war with Ukraine. He also mentioned Olympic athletes who participated in mass events supporting Putin.
– It is very important for us to take action to prevent this from happening. – summed up the chairman and emphasized that Ukraine continues to call for the complete exclusion of athletes from Russia and Belarus from the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
