“The IOC itself forces us to refuse to participate in the Olympics” – Rodionenko, head coach of the Russian national gymnastics team

Head Coach of the Russian National Gymnastics Team Valentina Rodionenko on the air of the program “There is a theme!” on said that the International Olympic Committee, with the help of recommendations, wants to force Russians to refuse to participate in the 2024 Olympics.

Following Tuesday’s meeting in Lausanne, the IOC’s executive committee recommended that Russian and Belarusian athletes be allowed to participate in international competitions only in a neutral status, while banning Russians from participating in team sports. Recommendations were also issued on the issue of admission to competitions to take into account the Russians’ public statements about the CBO, as well as their demonstration of symbols with the letter “Z”. The decision notes that athletes who have a contract with the Russian or Belarusian armed forces or national security agencies cannot participate in the competitions.

– Are there athletes ready to accept the IOC conditions?

– Regarding Bach’s recommendations: he wants to pretend to let us in, but they set conditions that we will refuse ourselves. These conditions are unacceptable. The sport of highest achievement is winning. Our sport is associated with serious injury and risk.

We are still waiting, and each time hope is lost. Now we have to make sure that our athletes are not members of CSKA or Dynamo. They force us to refuse to participate in the Olympic Games. Not a single athlete will agree to betray his country to participate in the Olympics. We cannot sacrifice our country and our beliefs. At least in our team.

– How should we respond?

– Always delayed 2-3 months. Still need to qualify for the European Championship, then the World Cup. For our team, where there are Olympic champions, there will be no exceptions. European Championship we miss already in April. It is impossible to pass the qualifications. Where there are no teams, something else is possible.

Our people protested, but we pretty much know how it will end. The mood is to wait until the last. Perhaps the spirit of IOC officials will prevail, Rodionenko told .

In February last year, the IOC Executive Board recommended federations not to invite Russians and Belarusians to compete due to the situation in Ukraine. In many sports, athletes from both countries were suspended from starts, some federations allowed them to be neutral without national symbols. Subsequently, IOC chief Thomas Bach opposed political influence on sport and any proposal to treat Russian athletes as bearers of collective guilt.