The head of the IOC, Thomas Bach, criticized the interference of politicians in the admission of Russians to the Olympics
The head of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach, criticized the interference of politicians in the discussion on the admission of Russian athletes to the 2024 Games in Paris. His words leads VG.
“It is not for governments to decide who can participate in sporting events. That would be the end of international sporting events as we know them today,” Bach said. He added that the organization takes human rights issues seriously.
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Bach also gave examples of the performance of Russian and Belarusian athletes at tennis tournaments in a neutral status. In particular, the victory of Belarusian Arina Sobolenko at the Australian Open in 2023 and the match of Ukrainian Katerina Beindl against Russian Kamilla Rakhimova at the same tournament. “Why can’t this be possible in the pool or in the gym?” the functionary asked.
On January 26, the President of the NOC of Ukraine, Vadim Gutzeit, said that the Ukrainian team could miss the Olympics in Paris if the teams of Russia and Belarus participate in it. A day earlier, the IOC noted that they were considering the possibility of individual admission to competitions of athletes from these countries.
The Paris Olympic Games are scheduled to take place from July 26 to August 11, 2024.
Source: Lenta
Kingston is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his in-depth and engaging writing on sports. He currently works as a writer at 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the sports industry.
