Bach said athletes cannot be held responsible for government actions
President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Thomas Bach assessed Russia’s possible boycott of the 2024 Olympic Games. His words are quoted by Le Monde.
Bach said athletes cannot be held responsible for government actions. “If they support these actions, they are subject to sanctions. If not, they should have the same rights as others,” he said, concluding that a boycott would not be beneficial.
Earlier, Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin commented on the likelihood of Russia boycotting the Games in Paris. “We must preserve the possibility of dialogue as much as possible and compete,” he said.
In December 2023, the IOC decided to admit Russians and Belarusians to the Olympics in Paris as individual neutral athletes. At the same time, athletes who support a special operation in Ukraine, or who have connections with the armed forces or security agencies of Russia and Belarus will not be allowed to participate in the 2024 Games. In addition, representatives of team sports will miss the tournament.
Source: Lenta
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