State Duma deputy Svishchev said that the IOC would violate the criteria if it allowed Bida
State Duma Deputy Dmitry Svishchev appreciated the desire of fencers Sergei and Violetta Bida, who fled the country, to represent the United States at competitions. His words were published in the Telegram channel of the State Duma Committee on Sports.
According to him, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will violate its own criteria if it allows them to participate in the tournaments. “Although they are still far from this, because at the moment they only have citizenship of the Russian Federation. We’ll see to what extent the IOC is ready to bend,” said Svishchev.
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Earlier it became known about the spouses’ intention to obtain American citizenship. Sergei Bida plans to qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
On December 26, 2023, the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs put the Bida fencers on the wanted list. They face up to ten years in prison under Article 337 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“Unauthorized abandonment of a unit or place of service”). At the time of his departure, Sergei Bida was listed in Dynamo Moscow and had the rank of ensign of the Russian Guard. His wife was previously a serviceman of the Ministry of Defense in the capital’s CSKA.
On December 8, the IOC announced the admission of Russians and Belarusians to the Games in Paris. They will be able to take part in the tournament as individual neutral athletes. At the same time, athletes who support a special operation in Ukraine, as well as those who have connections with the Armed Forces or security agencies of Russia and Belarus will not be allowed to participate in the competition.
Source: Lenta
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