The Minister of Foreign Affairs believes that Russian athletes reflect their people and their state
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Sergei Kuleba talked about the work suspension of Russian athletes from international competitions.
“Sports diplomacy, like cultural diplomacy, is a very important component of public diplomacy. An artist and an athlete in their respective fields have equal opportunities for the vast mass of people to say the right signal. Therefore, from the first day of the full-scale invasion, we intensified this work together with the Ministry of Youth Sports and the NOC, and we support the athletes in everything.”
“Regarding Russia’s desire to host the BRICS Games and an alternative tournament to the Olympics? This is more of a question for the IOC. We told them that any attempts by the IOC to flirt with Russia, trying to somehow maintain a balance with it, would end in even greater disgrace for the IOC and the destruction of the international Olympic movement. For they will destroy this history and go create their own. Well, let them create, run, jump there, hit each other, let them live in their own world. But the IOC must stand firm in defending the purity of its sport.”
“Why did you decide that a Russian athlete is something different from the Russian people? If you want to try to whiten your name, the first thing you have to say is: I condemn the policies of President Putin, I condemn aggression, I am for sports and peace. Then we can start talking to you, but this is not a solution to your problems.”
Earlier, Ukrainian athletes appealed to French President Emmanuel Macron, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castery and Chairman of the 2024 Olympics Organizing Committee Tony Estangue with letter of appeal.
In it, the most famous representatives of Ukrainian sports draw the attention of politicians and functionaries to the fact that none of the Russian athletes openly condemned the war, and also provide evidence of support for aggression against Ukraine by “neutral” Russians admitted to the 2024 Olympic Games (for example, Olympic champions Vladislav Larin, Zaurbek Sidakov and Zaur Uguev).
In early December, the Executive Committee of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided to admit participants from Russia and Belarus in the status of “individual neutral athletes” to the 2024 Olympic Games. Acting Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine Matvey Bedny called the IOC decision “irresponsible.”
IOC President Thomas Bach previously called Ukraine’s position, which opposed the admission of all athletes from aggressor countries, “unconstructive,” and then said that he “is not afraid of a boycott of the 2024 Olympic Games by Ukraine.”
The head of the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Ukraine, Vadim Gutzeit, spoke about plans to assemble his own admission database regarding “neutral” athletes admitted to the 2024 Olympic Games.
Early in the morning of February 24, 2022, Russia launched rocket and air bombardments of most Ukrainian cities, and then launched a full-scale military invasion. The war against Russia has continued for the 691st day.
Source: Sportarena
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