sports policy
After a recommended partial return: Russian criticism of the IOC
President of the International Olympic Committee: Thomas Bach. photo
© Laurent Gillieron/KEYSTONE/dpa
Since the war of aggression in Ukraine, Russian and Belarusian athletes have largely been internationally banned. The IOC is now in favor of a partial return. That’s not enough for Russia.
Sports officials in Moscow have sharply criticized the limited re-admission of their own athletes to international competitions.
“The announced parameters and criteria for the return of Russians to international starts are absolutely unreasonable,” said Russia’s National Olympic Committee (NOC). After all, the decision of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is an “admission of one’s own mistake” in completely excluding Russian athletes from international competitions.
Shortly after the start of the war of aggression against Ukraine ordered by Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin, the IOC recommended banning Russian and Belarusian athletes from international sporting events.
The IOC has now spoken out in favor of allowing athletes from both countries to start again under certain conditions under a neutral flag. According to the decision, athletes with connections to the military and security organs as well as teams should remain excluded. A decision on allowing Russians and Belarusians to participate in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris will only be made at a later date, emphasized IOC President Thomas Bach.
Neutral status “an obvious discrimination”
In Moscow, the restrictions that are still in place are met with resistance. The neutral status is “obvious discrimination based on national origin”. In addition, the additional doping controls for Russian athletes are “unfounded, legally untenable and superfluous,” according to the Russian NOC. The officials also dislike the continued disqualification in team sports and the ban on athletes who train in clubs that are close to the Russian army or other security bodies.” Against this background, when we are basically proposed the dream of thousands of athletes at one Olympic medal, the proposed restrictions on the publication of certain content in social networks by Russian Olympians look like submission to external political pressure”, the NOK also criticized the ban on athletes from supporting Russia’s war in the media.
Sports Minister criticizes: “Inhuman”
Russia’s Sports Minister Oleg Matyzin described the IOC’s decision as “inhuman”. “The IOC’s recommendations to classify Russian athletes are unlawful and the individual decision on team sports is openly discriminatory,” Matyzin wrote on his ministry’s Telegram channel. The athletes prepared for the Olympics for years. “This is their work and their life. It is inhumane to take away this right from them.”
