The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has recommended that federations and competition organizers “not invite or allow the participation of Russian or Belarusian athletes or officials” in any of them.
This measure aims to “protect the integrity of world sports competitions and the safety of all participants,” said the body’s Executive Commission.
The IOC board also agreed to withdraw its highest decoration, the Olympic Order, from all members of the Russian government who hold it, including the country’s president, Vladimir Putinhis Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko, who was in charge of the Sochi Winter Games in 2014, and Deputy Chief of Staff of the Executive Office of the President, Dmitry Kozak.
The IOC stressed in a statement that its desire is “not to punish athletes for the decisions of their government if they do not actively participate in them”, but clarified that “the current war in Ukraine puts the Olympic Movement in a dilemma”.
“While athletes from Russia and Belarus could continue to participate in sports competitions, many Ukrainian athletes are prevented from doing so due to the attack on their country,” the IOC stressed.
“This is a dilemma that has no solution,” he concluded, before recommending the exclusion of the competitors of the aggressor country and its ally.
“Where this is not possible in the short term for organizational or legal reasons, the IOC Executive strongly urges international sports federations and sports event organizers around the world to do everything in their power to ensure that no No athlete or sports official from Russia or Belarus with the name of Russia or Belarus is allowed to participate,” he added.
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“Russian or Belarusian citizens, either as individuals or as teams, must be accepted only as neutral athletes or teams. No symbols, colors, flags, or national anthems should be displayed,” he stated.
The Executive “considered in particular the next Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympic Games and reiterated its full support for the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the Games,” it said, although it did not specify whether the two countries involved in the sanctions will participate in the Games.
The body already recommended last Friday that no international sports competition be held on Russian or Belarusian soil.
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Furthermore, “based on the exceptional circumstances of the situation and considering the very serious violation of the Olympic Truce and other violations of the Olympic Charter by the Russian government in the past, it has taken the decision to withdraw the Olympic Order from all persons who they currently hold an important role in the government of the Russian Federation or another high-ranking government-related position.”
Among them are Putin and the aforementioned Chernyshenko and Kozak.
The Executive “appreciates the numerous calls for peace made by athletes and members of the world Olympic community”, in particular those made by Russian athletes.
“The Executive reaffirms its full solidarity with the Ukrainian Olympic community. They are in our hearts and thoughts”, she added in a statement reporting the creation of a solidarity fund and thanking the support already offered to Ukraine by other Olympic committees and federations. (D)
Source: Eluniverso
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