Ukraine accuses the IOC of being a “war promoter” with Russia

The Ukrainian presidency raised its tone on Monday against the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and accused him of being “a promoter of war”, for examining the possibility of authorizing the participation of Russian athletes under a neutral flag in the 2024 Paris Games.

“The IOC is a promoter of war, murder and destruction. The IOC watches with pleasure as Russia destroys Ukraine and then offers Russia a platform to promote the genocide” of the Ukrainians, Presidential Adviser Mikhailo Podoliak launched on Twitter, personally addressing the German Thomas Bach, head of the Committee.

“It is clear that the money that Olympic hypocrisy buys is not impregnated with the smell of Ukrainian blood. Isn’t that so, Mr. Bach?” he said.

Following the Russian invasion that began in February 2022, Ukraine calls for exclude citizens of Russia and Belarusa Kremlin-allied country, from the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

But the IOC declared last week that it “studies” the possibility of authorizing the participation under a neutral flag of the Russians and Belarusians who have been banned from most international competitions since the start of the conflict.

This possibility generated outrage in Ukraine.

On Friday, Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky denounced the “hypocrisy” of the IOC and invited Bach to visit Bakhmut, one of the hottest points of the war with Russia,

On Sunday, he reported in his daily address that he had sent a letter to his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron asking him to exclude Russian athletes. (YO)