The International Olympic Committee insists that exploring a way to allow Russian athletes to compete as neutrals in next year’s Olympics is in line with the UN’s pursuit of peace in Ukraine.
A Ukrainian flag was flown at the International Olympic Committee headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Friday to mark one year since Russia’s invasion of the neighboring country, as the governing body faces criticism for its efforts to give Russian and Belarusian athletes a chance. to perform in Paris.
A statement issued by the IOC on Friday cited a UN resolution calling on member states and international organizations to “redouble diplomatic efforts to achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting peace” in Ukraine.
IOC President Thomas Bach earlier referred to a December UN resolution when explaining why his organization, National Olympic Committees and international sports federations are considering allowing Russian athletes to compete in qualifying competitions before next year’s Games.
That decision, cited in a statement on Friday, said that “major international sporting events will be organized in the spirit of peace, understanding, international cooperation, friendship and tolerance, and without discrimination of any kind,” and that the unifying and conciliatory nature of these events must be respected.
The International Olympic Committee has criticized national governments for their involvement in the case and has said that athletes should not be discriminated against because of the passports they hold.
A group of more than 30 countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States and France, the host country for the 2024 Olympics, issued a collective statement on Monday calling on the International Olympic Committee to maintain the ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes, recommended by the IOC. Time on February 28 last year.
The group of countries agreed that it was wrong to discriminate against an athlete on the basis of nationality, but noted difficulties in proving the impartiality of Russian athletes when so many countries were funded, and also highlighted the fact that many of them had ties to the Russian military.
British Culture Secretary Lucy Fraser also said allowing them to compete would help “legitimize” the regime of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine’s sports minister said his country would boycott the Games if Russian or Belarusian athletes were allowed to participate.
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