Bach opposed the treatment of Russian athletes as carriers of collective guilt
President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Thomas Bach made a statement about Russian athletes. His words are quoted by AP.
“I oppose political influence on the sport and any proposal that Russian athletes be treated as carriers of collective guilt,” he stressed. The head of the IOC noted that the decision to return the Russians to the tournaments had not been made, and the discussion of this issue would be continued at the upcoming meetings.
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.
At the end of February 2022, many sports organizations banned the national teams of Russia and Belarus from participating in tournaments on the recommendation of the IOC. In some disciplines, such as motorsport, cycling, tennis, boxing, MMA and chess, the Russians continue to play in a neutral status.
Source: Lenta
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