Ukraine’s strong complaint against the IOC: ‘It promotes war, murder and destruction’

The diplomatic, political and sporting conflict that broke out in the world of the Olympics after the decision of the International Olympic Committee to open the door for Russian and Belarusian athletes to return to racing under a neutral flag, and which threatens to affect the Paris 2024, it intensifies more and more. The government of Ukrainewho received the recommendation with anger and indignation and threatened to boycott Next year’s games, the body chaired by strongly accused this Monday Thomas Bach.

“CIO is a promoter of war, murder and destruction”he wrote on his Twitter account Mihailo Podoliak, adviser to the Ukrainian presidency. And he added: “It is clear that the money that the Olympic hypocrisy buys is not impregnated with the smell of Ukrainian blood. Is it not so, Mr. Bach?”

While, Volodymyr Zelenskythe first Ukrainian president, assured that allowing the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in the Olympic and Paralympic events in the French capital would mean publicly acknowledging that “terror is somehow acceptable”.

Also, compared Paris 2024 with Berlin 1936, Games that were held when the Nazis were in power. “They were a big mistake. The Olympic movement and terrorist states shouldn’t cross paths,” Zelensky said.

Midway through last week, the IOC raised the need to explore a pathway for the readmission of Russian and Belarusian athletes, who have been marginalized from nearly all international competition since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. They would return under a neutral flag, without representing your state or any other organization in your country. And only if they have not acted against the IOC peacekeeping mission, actively supporting the war.

“No athlete can be deprived of competition because of their passport,” the Committee said in a statement that opened a huge gap in the Olympics and angered Ukraine.

Zelensky, furious at the announcement, denounced the CIO’s “hypocrisy” and invited Bach to visit bakhmutanother point hot of the war with Russia. And over the weekend, she reiterated the claim she had raised Emmanuel Macronhis French counterpart, that Russian athletes are barred from the Paris Games.

“Olympic principles and war are fundamental opposites. Russia must stop aggression and terror and only then will it be possible to talk about Russian participation in the context of the Olympic movement,” the head of the Ukrainian government reflected.

And he demanded: “Moscow must not be allowed to use the Olympic Games or any other sporting event as propaganda for its aggression or state chauvinism.”

In response to the IOC’s idea to readmit athletes under a neutral flag, he said: “There can be no neutrality in sport while my country’s athletes die on the battlefield”.

Zelensky’s comments came as Russian forces continued shelling the region Chersonwhich had been hit continuously on Sunday, resulting in at least three deaths.

Dmytro Kulebathe Ukrainian foreign minister added to the barrage of criticism, noting that 45 of the 71 medals won by Russia in Tokyo 2020 (obtained under a neutral flag, as the country was excluded due to the state doping scandal) had been won by athletes enrolled in the CSKA, the club of the Russian army. “The army that commits atrocities, kills, rapes and steals,” the official put it.

“This is what the ignorant IOC wants to throw under the white flag to allow them to participate,” denounced Kuleba, who had previously accused the Committee of “downplaying Russian war crimes.”

The Lausanne-based organization rejected “in the strongest possible terms” Podoliak’s accusation on Twitter “and other defamatory comments”, which “cannot serve as a basis for any constructive debate”, the agency reported. AFP extension.

Ukraine was not the only country to speak out against the proposal. Michael DonelanBritain’s culture minister, who is also responsible for sport, condemned the IOC’s decision and said it was “far removed from the reality of war”. Hans Natorphead of the Danish Olympic Committee, agreed: “Russian aggression in Ukraine is intensifying. Under these circumstances, it would be unacceptable to allow Russia and Belarus to participate in sporting events.”

Although there were also those who applauded the IOC’s announcement. The Olympic Council of Asia he warned that Russians and Belarusians would be welcome at sporting events on that continent, many of which will be Olympic and Paralympic qualifiers. The same happened with the Pan American Sports Organization and various international federations, to which the Olympic governing body has given them autonomy to decide whether to reinstate athletes or continue to marginalize them.

“There are many hurdles to overcome before Russian and Belarusian gymnasts are allowed to participate in international competitions. But sport is about making the impossible possible,” said the Federation of Gymnastics, one of the major sports on the Olympic programme.

Criticism of the IOC proposal has not come only from Ukraine and its allies. Even Russia did not take kindly to the announcement. Oleg MatitsinKremlin sports minister, defined the conditions imposed for readmission as inadmissible.

“They do not correspond to the Olympic Charter or the principles of equality and justice. For our athletes to represent the country is an honor and a source of pride,” he said. And he underlined that “politics cannot and must not be mixed with sport”.

The gap that opened up last week in the world of sport is widening. Because the IOC wants Russian and Belarusian representatives to be able to compete in Paris 2024. But, less than a month into the war, Ukraine and its allies have held firm: readmission is unacceptable and the possibility of a boycott of the olympic event seems increasingly possible.

SA