Paris 2024 organisers insisted at the beginning of the month that they would abide by the IOC decision on Russian and Belarusian athletes’ participation in the Games…reports Asian Lite News
More than 30 like-minded nations, including the United Kingdom, United States, France and Germany, have pledged their ongoing support for a ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes competing in international sporting competitions as long as the war in Ukraine continues.
The countries have published a joint statement setting out their concern following recent proposals from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) which suggest a pathway is being explored to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to return to competition, including the 2024 Olympic Games.
The support of France, as host country of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and Greece, as the birthplace of the Olympics, is significant. It has also been signed by 2021 hosts Japan, Italy who will host the 2026 Winter Olympics, and the Summer Olympic hosts in 2028, the United States.
It comes following UK Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer chairing a summit on February 10 of ministerial and senior representatives from a group of nations opposed to the plans. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the delegates and set out his firm opposition to the proposals.
In response to the collective statement, Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said, “We agree that Putin cannot use sport to legitimise his actions on the world stage. This coalition of nations has supported Ukraine on multiple fronts and we will continue to do so. Today we are setting out our serious concerns with the International Olympic Committee’s plans which could see a route back into elite athletics for Russia and Belarus.”
Paris 2024 organisers insisted at the beginning of the month that they would abide by the IOC decision on Russian and Belarusian athletes’ participation in the Games.
However, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo said there should be no Russian delegation at the Paris Olympics as long as the Ukraine war, which Moscow calls a ‘special operation’ is ongoing.
Ukraine has threatened to boycott the Games if Russian and Belarusian athletes compete and Ukrainian world and 2012 Olympic heavyweight champion boxer Oleksandr Usyk has said Russians will win “medals of blood, deaths and tears” if allowed to take part.
Such threats have revived memories of boycotts in the 1970s and 1980s during the Cold War era that still haunt the global Olympic body today, and it has called on Ukraine to drop them.
The IOC has said a boycott would violate the Olympic Charter and its inclusion of Russians and Belarusians is based on a UN resolution against discrimination within the Olympic movement.
Since the invasion of Ukraine many sports bodies have moved events and suspended Russian and Belarusian teams or athletes, while sponsors ended contracts in protest against the war.
The British government added on Monday that Russia and Belarus can “pave the way for their athletes’ full return to the international sports community by ending the war they started.”
Earlier this month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy took part in an online meeting attended by 35 ministers and chaired by the UK to discuss the call for a ban.
He pointed out that 228 Ukrainian athletes and coaches died as a result of the Russian aggression.
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