Pozdnyakov: OCD is on the side of athletes for whom IOC conditions are unacceptable
The President of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) Stanislav Pozdnyakov in his Telegram channel explained the criticism towards neutral Olympians from Russia.
Pozdnyakov said that the positions of the ROC and the Ministry of Sports are strikingly different. He emphasized that the ROC is on the side of athletes for whom the conditions of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) are unacceptable. The official added that athletes must make personal choices regarding their participation in the Olympics.
On April 5, the head of the All-Russian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation, Irina Viner, considered that Russians performing at the Games should not have citizenship of the country. On the same day, Pozdnyakov called Russian tennis players wishing to compete at the Games a team of foreign agents.
Last December, the IOC allowed Russians and Belarusians to participate in the Paris Olympics 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. In addition, representatives of team sports will miss the tournament.
Source: Lenta
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