The International Olympic Committee went against its principles and humanity
The Olympic Summit, chaired by International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach, unanimously agreed to accept the initiative proposed by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to take part in its competitions. This proposal was made at the IOC summit by the Acting President of the OCA, Randhir Singh.
“This initiative will be discussed during the next round of IOC consultations with members of the International Olympic Committee, athlete representatives, International Federations and National Olympic Committees,” the IOC said in a statement. At the same time, according to the organization’s statement, “sanctions against Russian and Belarusian states and governments remain in force.”
The IOC explained its decision by the fact that the sanctions imposed against Russian and Belarusian athletes were a “protective measure” for athletes. However, during a tense debate, Randhir Singh said that on the Asian continent, the reason for the introduction of protective measures no longer exists.
The summit participants discussed at length whether there are still reasons for these protective measures and considered various ways to overcome this extremely serious dilemma. Among the factors that “informed” this discussion was “the participation of many athletes from Russia and Belarus in national leagues abroad, as well as in various international sports competitions, including cycling and tennis.
Singh’s proposal was supported by many political leaders and well-known sports figures in Asia, Africa, America, Oceania and some European countries, who see sport as a unifying force of great importance in these times of division and high confrontation.
At the same time, as stated, the International Federations and the organizers of the competitions will themselves assess for each sport and tournament the risks associated with inviting athletes from Russia and Belarus.
It is also reported that representatives of Russia and Belarus will be able to compete in tournaments under the auspices of the OCA, in particular those that can qualify for the 2024 Games. True, they will compete in a neutral status – without a flag and an anthem.
Earlier it was reported that the International Olympic Committee upheld the sanctions against Russia and Belarus. The decision was made at the 11th Olympic Summit.
Source: Sportarena
