While the International Olympic Committee (IOC) does not intend to rush into making a decision on the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in the Paris Games in the summer of 2024, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe pronounces itself on Thursday 22 June , for the total exclusion of these Russian athletes “as long as Russia’s war of aggression continues”.
In a resolution adopted at the summer plenary session, to be held this week in Strasbourg, the assembly called on “the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and its constituent sports bodies maintain the position expressed in 2022 and prohibit participation” of these athletes at the next Olympic Games e “all other major sporting events”.
On Wednesday, the IOC Executive Committee, which met for two days in Lausanne (Switzerland), preferred to postpone any communication on the matter, deeming that “the right thing to do” and of “see how things are going”explained his spokesman, Mark Adams.
“There is still a long time to make this decision”he argued, adding: “I can not give a history. » In late March, the IOC recommended that international sports federations reinstate Russians and Belarusians under a neutral flag, provided they do not support the war in Ukraine.
A dozen federations have already done so. Including judo, on the occasion of the last world championships, in Qatar, or even fencing, which has chosen to organize the individual European championships in Bulgaria rather than in Poland, as part of the European games, in order to welcome the Russians and Belarusians.
“A Propaganda Tool”
IOC President Thomas Bach deplored a Ukrainian boycott of several recent competitions to protest the reintegration of Russian and Belarusian athletes. “It is really hard to understand why the Ukrainian government is depriving its athletes of the chance to qualify for the 2024 Olympics, and depriving the Ukrainian public of this pride”he said Thursday during the 140th session of the Olympic body assembly.
Bach rejected Ukrainian and Russian pressure one after the other: “the Russian side wants us to ignore the war, the Ukrainian side wants us to isolate anyone with a Russian or Belarusian passport”.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) considers, in its resolution, that any participation of these athletes is “unthinkable” AND “it would definitely be used as a propaganda tool and effectively prevent other athletes – especially Ukrainians – from participating”.
According to PACE, “it seems impossible that they could demonstrate their neutrality and distance from these regimes, let alone make an anti-war statement”they added, and those who would “they would put themselves in a dangerous situation”.
Analyzed the positions of the Russian members of the IOC
In addition, the IOC’s Ethics Committee will look into the case of current and honorary Russian members of the Olympic body. As for sportsmen, he will analyze in detail their position on the conflict in Ukraine and their ties to the army or national security agencies.
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“In order to avoid different standards between athletes, national officials and IOC members in Russia, the same conditions apply for participation in international IOC events”said Mr. Adams.
Of particular concern to this “investigation” are Yelena Isinbayeva and Shamil Tarpischev, as well as the quadruple Olympic swimming champion Alexandre Popov.
“The situation of the affected IOC members will be assessed at the time of the events from February 24, 2022 and since then”Adams said.
