International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach has criticized country governments for forcing sports federations to deny Russian athletes entry to international tournaments.
– Governments (countries) must respect our role. Look at our friends in Paris – Russian tennis players were able to play there in a neutral status. In London, at Wimbledon, the government said ‘no’ – if we allow that, it means we lost.
How can you ensure fair international sporting events when governments decide to act in their own political interest, who will participate and who will not?
Today we are talking about Russia and Belarus, tomorrow we can talk about your country. There is no such country in the world that everyone would love. This goes against all the principles we stand for. The rights of those who defend peace must be respected. Sanctions cannot be applied just for possessing a passport from a certain country, Bach said at the general assembly of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) in Lausanne, his remarks are cited by the Inside The Games portal.
Earlier it became known that the Wimbledon executives would not allow Russian tennis players to participate even in a neutral status. The move was criticized by the ATP, WTA and a number of top athletes, after which the tournament was stripped of its ranking status this season. In other tournaments, athletes from Russia and Belarus play in a neutral status without further restrictions.
Inside the Games
Source : MatchTV
