Olympic champion at Sydney 2000 in freestyle wrestling, adviser to the President of the ROC for work with Russian sports federations and President of the Russian Union of Athletes David Musulbes told that the IOC has no right to dictate rules of conduct to Russian athletes in the current situation.
On Tuesday, Moscow hosted a meeting of sports veterans – champions and winners of the Olympic Games of different years.
Earlier, the head of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach, said that Russian athletes who walked away from the special operation in Ukraine should be able to participate in international competitions in a neutral status.
– For 30 years, all Olympic champions gather on this day. There is an opportunity to talk, to draw conclusions, to express wishes, to be heard. We fulfill all requests 100% – and treatment, sanatoria, etc. These people have devoted their whole lives to sport and their experience is very important. It’s an Olympic family, there is no difficulty in bringing together all the veterans, a single message is enough. See how happy they are to see each other. They are the first heroes of Soviet sport, their friendship spans the years and everywhere. And such a warm attitude in all regions,” Musulbes told .
– But there is no such friendship and goodwill in the modern Olympic world. The same IOC President said that to achieve neutral status, a Russian athlete must distance himself from Russia’s actions. How was the IOC’s first person speech received?
Bach has no right to express such an opinion. There are traditions of our state, we will find out for ourselves. Bach has no right to take away the dream, the desire to play sports from our new generation. You can’t be a leader and punish someone, like he does with Russia. No one has the right to change the principles of the Olympic movement.
– Everyone in Russian sport says unanimously: signing such a document would be treason. Do you agree?
– Yes. We feel it and understand it.
— Olympic slogan “Faster. Above. Louder” last year got the addition “Together.” But somehow they can’t be together.
– And it’s very disappointing that they started to separate us. For what reasons is another question.
– Do you have a premonition when we will return to the international scene?
– Soon. There are countries in Europe and Latin America that demand Russia’s return. Because competition generates the progress of the entire Olympic movement. And under the domination of a single country, development cannot take place. So in the spring, I think, our guys will start participating in the European Championships, qualifying tournaments for the World Championships, and closer to the New Year they will participate in various competitions.
– Is the Russian team at the 2024 Olympics in Paris a reality?
– I think so. We may not see the number of athletes we want to see, but there will be representatives from Russia at the Olympics.
– In a neutral status or with its own flag and anthem?
– Let’s see. Everyone has always understood that before them there were representatives of Russia.
— Many Olympians have military ranks. Should active athletes go to serve or is it a gold fund that needs to be preserved?
“I’m a soldier myself, I’ve been through it all and I’m ready to join the message of the nation. But I would like the leaders of sport to be saved, because in the months to come we need to have as many children as possible in the sports sections, and the champions can be seen by the younger generation.Without raising a healthy nation, we will not be able to achieve anything.
Source : MatchTV
