“Germany should refuse to host the Kayaking and Canoeing World Cup because they cannot provide security” – Chen

Former track and field athlete Yolanda Chen believes that Germany should refuse to host the World Kayaking and Canoeing Championships, as the host country cannot ensure the safety of all participants in the competition.

At the end of April, the International Canoe Federation (ICF) admitted the Russians to international competitions as neutral athletes. At the same time, in May, it became known that the German Kayaking and Canoeing Association had confirmed its decision not to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to the World Championships in Duisburg, which will take place from 23 to 27 August and qualify for the Games. in Paris. In Germany, this decision is explained by the fact that they cannot ensure the safety of Russian athletes.

– What they say in Germany makes no sense. They have to transfer the right to host the championship to another country, because they cannot provide security. Regarding the declarations, our athletes were absolutely right not to sign and sent a request to change them. According to the laws of sport, they have no right to enter into this political nonsense. They should write that athletes should maintain a neutral status and refrain from any political statements during competitions. Here is what must be written in this document so that it complies with the Olympic charter and legislation.

It is very important that our rowing federation now consults lawyers. All our requests, protests and possible refusals from the organizers must be legally registered in order to be sure of being transmitted to the ECHR and the Arbitral Tribunal of Lausanne. So that they won’t say later that we ourselves refused,” Chen said on “There’s a Subject!” on TV Match.

On July 10, the president of the Russian Rowing Federation (FGSR) Alexei Svirin told that Russian rowers would not participate in the World Junior Championships in Bulgaria, because they had refused the proposal of the International Rowing Federation. rowing (World Rowing) to sign a declaration of neutral athletes, which contradicts the Olympic Charter and contains political clauses.