Zelensky: Returning Russian athletes to the Olympics is telling the whole world that terror can be acceptable

The President believes that the Russian Federation uses international competitions to promote aggression and state chauvinism

President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky wrote a letter to the President of France Emmanuel Macron regarding the possible admission of Russian athletes to the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

“The attempts by the International Olympic Committee to bring Russian athletes back to competitions and the Olympic Games is an attempt to tell the whole world that terror can be something acceptable. It seems that one can turn a blind eye to what Russia is doing with Kherson, with Kharkov, with Bakhmut and Avdiivka. In preparing for the Paris Olympics, we must be sure that Russia will not be able to use it or any other international sporting event to promote aggression or its own state chauvinism.”

Recall that the IOC is ready to consider the possibility of admitting athletes from Russia and Belarus to international competitions. At the same time, everyone who wishes will be required to act in a neutral status. Also, athletes should not support the war of the Russian Federation against Ukraine and pass a mandatory doping test.

The Olympic Summit, chaired by IOC President Thomas Bach, unanimously agreed to accept an initiative proposed by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to take part in its competitions.

The OCA is developing a special system that will allow Russians to qualify for the Olympics through Asian competitions. It is also planned to award Asian athletes with separate medals if representatives of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus win the event.

The NOC of Ukraine will hold an online conference on February 3. During the meeting, the issue of a possible boycott by Ukraine of the 2024 Olympic Games will be discussed, to which representatives of the Russian Federation and Belarus under a neutral flag may be admitted.

Source: Sportarena

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