Zelensky: Russia stains everything with blood, even the white flag

President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky spoke at an online meeting of a group of 35 countries discussing the holding Olympics 2024 in Paris. Zelensky urged not to allow representatives of terrorist states to the Games in any status.

“228 Ukrainian athletes and coaches died during the year of Russian aggression against Ukraine! And how many Russian athletes have come forward to condemn the terror that their state has unleashed? In fact, there is no such condemnation. Except for rare voices, quickly fading away.

“We know that many Russian athletes are associated with the sports clubs of the Russian army and law enforcement agencies. In particular, athletes who applied for participation in the championships and the Olympic Games. We know that many Russian athletes have a military or other special rank.”

“We know that Russia is trying to use any world attention to the Russians to promote war. If, God forbid, Olympic principles are destroyed and Russian athletes are allowed to participate in any competitions or the Olympic Games, it is only a matter of time before a terrorist state forces them to play along with the war propaganda.”

“While Russia kills and terrorizes, representatives of a terrorist state have no place in sports and Olympic competitions. And this cannot be blocked by some false neutrality or a white flag. Because Russia is now a country that will stain everything with blood, even a white flag. This must be acknowledged. And this should be recognized, in particular, at the level of the International Olympic Committee.”

Recall that a group of countries, including the US, France, Australia, Poland, Lithuania, Japan and the UK, opposed the admission of athletes from Russia and Belarus to the Olympics in Paris. With this requirement, they will apply to the IOC.

The IOC is ready to consider the possibility of admitting athletes from Russia and Belarus to international competitions. In this case, 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.

The IOC believes that a complete ban on the performance of Russian and Belarusian athletes is discrimination and is contrary to the Olympic Charter. The organizers of the 2024 Olympics in Paris said they would adhere to the decision of the IOC to allow Russians and Belarusians to compete under a neutral flag.

The NOC of Ukraine has supported a possible boycott of the 2024 Olympics if athletes from Russia and Belarus are admitted to the Games. Also, the Verkhovna Rada appealed to the parliaments of the countries of the world with a request to ban the participation of representatives of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation in international competitions.

At the same time, the Head of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, called on the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine to abandon the threats of a boycott of the 2024 Olympics.