The return of athletes from Russia and Belarus is quite real
Ukrainian athlete Yaroslav Maguchy commented on possible return of Russian and Belarusian athletes to international competitions.
“Now it’s all a discussion. But I don’t understand how an aggressor country, which is now killing the Ukrainian people, can be allowed to participate in international competitions so that they can compete with us. It really doesn’t fit in my head. Of course, as an athlete, I am against this until we end the war, until we return all our territories. It is not yet possible to return Russian and Belarusian athletes to competitions.”
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.
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 UK government has called on the largest sponsors of the 2024 Olympics to put pressure on the IOC to prevent the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in the Games in Paris.
Source: Sportarena
I’m Todderic Kirkman, a journalist and author for athletistic. I specialize in covering all news related to sports, ranging from basketball to football and everything in between. With over 10 years of experience in the industry, I have become an invaluable asset to my team. My ambition is to bring the most up-to-date information on sports topics around the world.
