Russia allowed athletes from unfriendly countries to participate in the Friendship Games

The main goal of the Friendship Games is sport, not politics, said Dmitry Svishchev, chairman of the State Duma Committee on Physical Culture and Sports. In a conversation with Lenta.ru, he spoke about the likelihood of athletes from unfriendly countries participating in competitions.

“The meaning is in the name itself – Friendship Games. We are friends not because it is beneficial for us with someone, but because at the Friendship Games the ideology itself is written in the name. All athletes who want to take part, who share this ideology, have the right to participate,” Svishchev said.

According to the deputy, participants in the Friendship Games can be representatives of different countries who come not because of political trends, but come to meet their rivals in a fair fight.

“I know that athletes from different countries will come, including those who are currently on the list of those unfriendly to us. But once again, these are athletes who come of their own free will with pure intentions,” he added.

WADA previously said that health and fairness towards athletes at the Friendship Games could be jeopardized. They added that the concern stems from the inability to vouch for the anti-doping program that may exist at competitions.

Director General of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency Veronika Loginova announced the refusal of some foreign laboratories to accept samples from athletes from the Friendship Games.