The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has rejected outright «defamatory statements» made on Monday by some senior Ukrainian officials accusing the body of being a «promoter of war» if it finally allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
«The IOC rejects in the strongest terms this and other defamatory statements. They cannot serve as a basis for any constructive discussion. Therefore, the IOC will not comment further on them,» a spokesperson for the Committee told U.S. broadcaster CNN.
Regarding the debate on the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes, the IOC has stressed that, in any case, the proposal is that athletes can attend the sporting events as «neutral athletes» and in no case may represent «neither their State nor any other organization of their country».
The President of Ukraine, Volodimir Zelenski, referred to this controversy in his last evening speech, in which he said he had sent a letter to the presidents of the International Sports Federations asking them to «reconsider» the IOC’s decision.
For the Ukrainian president, once Russian athletes fly to international competitions, it will only be «a matter of time» before they start «justifying Russia’s aggression and using the symbols of terror».
Before him, presidential advisor Mikhail Podoliak had accused the IOC of promoting war and «watching with pleasure as Russia destroys Ukraine» and, later, offering Moscow a «platform to promote genocide».
In the same vein, Foreign Minister Dimitro Kuleba called the IOC «ignorant» and pointed to Russian athletes’ links with the Russian Army Central Sports Club, which «commits atrocities» such as «killing, raping and robbing».
Since the outbreak of the war international sports bodies have cancelled any events on Russian or Belarusian territory, and have even forced athletes from both countries to compete under a neutral flag, without displaying national symbols.
However, the IOC confirmed last week that it is considering ending the veto on Russian and Belarusian athletes in international competitions. In fact, IOC President Thomas Bach called in December for sport to regain its «unifying mission».
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
