“We don’t care what Putin thinks,” said Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, the Minister of Sports, on Wednesday, guest of the Télématin show on France 2. She was reacting to the Russian president’s statement, made in mid-December, considering that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) risked “burying the Olympic movement” by requiring Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate under a neutral banner in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games (July 26 – August 11).
“Let Russian power not exploit sport for its own glory”
“There are rules set by the IOC, it is the IOC which has the authority to decide who participates, who does not participate,” added Oudéa-Castéra. (…) We must establish this framework and ensure that it is respected to the end, and do everything so that the Russian power does not exploit sport for its own glory. (…) These are provocative messages. We also heard him talk about “ethnic discrimination”, all of which is complete nonsense. »
In December, the IOC authorized Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in the Paris Games, under several conditions: neutral barrier (without Russian flag or anthem), no team events, no support for the Russian offensive in Ukraine and a necessary sporting qualification.
Eight Russians and three Belarusians currently eligible
Russia had denounced a “neutralization” campaign targeting its best athletes, whose participation in the 2024 Olympics under a neutral banner is compromised by “humiliating” criteria from the IOC. According to the latter, 11 athletes (eight Russians and three Belarusians) currently meet these criteria.
Asked about the possibility that an athlete could brandish a Russian flag during an Olympic event, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra replied: “He will not do it, it will not be possible for him to arrive on the “field of play” (the field) with a flag. »
2024-01-03 09:12:29
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