Biathlete Martin Fourcade called for the return of Russian athletes to competitions
Five-time Olympic champion in biathlon Martin Fourcade spoke in support of Russian athletes. His words are quoted by NRK.
Fourcade said that the possibility of the return of Russian athletes to the competition should be considered. He stressed that he was elected to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to protect athletes. “I will be ashamed of my country if it decides to remove the Russians from the Olympics,” the Frenchman added.
On February 4, Norwegian biathletes Tarjei and Johannes Be also opposed the return of Russian athletes to international tournaments. The Be brothers said the wrong choice of the IOC in relation to Russia.
On January 25, the IOC announced that it was considering the possibility of individual admission to competitions for Russian and Belarusian athletes. It was noted that only athletes who did not support the conduct of a special operation in Ukraine and did not violate anti-doping rules will be able to get permission to compete in international tournaments. After a wave of criticism, the IOC noted that they had not made a final decision on this issue.
The Paris Olympic Games are scheduled to take place from July 26 to August 11, 2024.
Source: Lenta
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