MP Zhurova criticized Poland’s proposal to create a refugee team for Russians
The idea of creating a refugee team for Russian athletes is a provocation and an attempt to create informational noise, Svetlana Zhurova, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs, told Lente.ru. Thus, the deputy commented on the corresponding proposal of the Minister of Sports of Poland Kamil Bortnichuk.
The Polish politician previously explained his proposal with a desire to avoid accusations of discrimination against athletes based on nationality. The words of Bortnichuk led RIA Novosti.
“The Poles, apparently, were reassured a little after their zealous attempts to boycott the Olympic Gamestold them not to boycott the Olympics, but to squeeze Russian athletes into refugee status, ”the deputy said.
They see that our society reacts very negatively to this, so they do everything to make our society discuss these issues. They don’t care what the result will be, they need to provoke, lure, tempt society and our athletes
At the same time, she drew attention to the fact that the refugee team within the framework of the Olympic Games has existed for a long time and in this case there is no question of forming a new team, but an attempt to force the Russians to perform not in a neutral status, but in the status of refugees.
“The refugee team has always been at the Olympics. There have always been countries in conflict, athletes in conflict with their countries, so the refugee team has always been there, just not much attention was paid to it. And now such a humiliating offer is being made to us. I said from the very beginning that in the end it will all end and some athletes may begin to be tempted to join the refugee team, ”Zhurova recalled.
In her opinion, Russian tennis players can become the most vulnerable category of athletes in this context.
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“They will definitely try to include our tennis players in the refugee team, because they see that the International Tennis Federation allows our athletes under a neutral status, continues this line, and as a result, our athletes win in the finals and semi-finals,” the parliamentarian added.
Earlier, the head of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach, reproached the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Ukraine for putting pressure on sports organizations regarding the admission of Russians to tournaments. The Paris Olympic Games are scheduled to take place from July 26 to August 11, 2024.
Source: Lenta
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