The International Olympic Committee called the statement of the adviser to the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Mikhail Podolyak that the sports organization has been promoting war and murder, agreeing with the participation of athletes from Russia in the Olympiads.
BBC writes that on Monday, January 30, Podolyak commented on the proposal of the Asian Olympic Council (OSA), which intends to develop a quota system that allows athletes from Russia to qualify to participate in the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024. Osa proposed to Russian athletes to take part in Asian tournaments (while they used to perform at competitions in Europe). MOK welcomed such a decision.
Podolyak sharply condemned the intention to allow the Russians to the Olympics. “IOC – promoter of war, murders and destruction … IOC is happy to look at how the Russian Federation destroys [Ukraine], and then offers [Russia] a tribune for advertising a genocide and encourages further killings, – wrote Podolyak on Twitter. – It is obvious that [ Russian] money that bought Olympic hypocrisy does not smell [Ukrainian] blood. Yes, Mr. Bach? “.
IOC answered this: “IOC most decisively rejects this slanderous statement and like it. This cannot serve as the basis for any constructive discussion.”
The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky also criticized Bach. “We cannot support the illusion of normality.”
“It is impossible not to be disappointed statements by the current chairman of the International Olympic Committee. He spoke to him more than once, and never heard how he was going to protect sports from propaganda of war if he returned Russian athletes to international competitions,” Zelevsky said.
“There is no neutrality when such a war is going on. And we know how often tyranny is trying to use sports for their ideological interests. It is obvious that any neutral banner of Russian athletes stained with blood,” the Ukrainian president added.
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The Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba said that at the Olympics in Tokyo, Russia won 71 medal, and “45 of them were won by athletes that are also part of the Central Sports Club of the Russian Army.” “Army that commits crimes, kills, raping and looting,” says Kuleba. “That’s who the indifferent IOC wants to place under a neutral white flag that allows you to compete.”
Previously, the IOC expressed his readiness to consider the possibility of participating in Russian athletes in neutral status in international competitions. However, the organization proposed to introduce a number of restrictions. In particular, athletes who “opposed the MOK peacekeeping mission” and actively supported the war in Ukraine will not be allowed for competitions. Admission decisions will be made individually.