Kyiv allowed a boycott of the Olympics and its use for propaganda

The Ukrainian authorities intend to either use the 2024 Olympics in Paris to promote their own position, or refuse to participate in them if Russian athletes are admitted. Acting President stated this on the air of the Ukrainian TV channel “Rada”. O. Minister of Youth and Sports of the country Matvey Bedny.

“If we analyze and understand that we need to take part in such competitions and use the Olympic Games to promote our position in the world, then we will work in this direction“, said the official.

He added that if the International Olympic Committee (IOC) does not change its “unconstructive position” on allowing Russians to participate in the games under a neutral flag, then Ukraine’s participation will be “impossible.”

Let us recall that on December 8, the IOC announced its decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in the 2024 Olympic Games only in a neutral status and under “strict conditions.” However, they will not be able to participate in team sports. In addition, the head of World Athletics, Sebastian Coe, said that the association will not allow Russian athletes to participate in the games.

In February 2022, against the backdrop of the start of a Russian special operation in Ukraine, the IOC recommended that international sports federations ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from participating in competitions.

On March 23, 2023, IOC head Thomas Bach supported the return of Russian athletes in a neutral status. He emphasized that Russians continue to compete in a number of sports around the world. On March 28, the IOC recommended that international federations allow Russians who did not support the special operation to protect Donbass to compete. Such athletes, according to Thomas Bach, will be able to participate in competitions as neutral athletes. For Russian athletes, this status remains the only one possible at international competitions.

Russia has condemned the interference of politicians in the affairs of athletes. Russian Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin previously stated that attempts to dictate the terms of participation of athletes in international competitions are unacceptable. The official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, called the recommendations issued by the IOC xenophobia and nationalism, and also warned that such practices of discrimination based on views over time risk spreading to other areas of life.

On October 12, 2023, the International Olympic Committee suspended the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) until further notice. The decision at the IOC was justified by the fact that the inclusion of representative offices of the DPR, LPR, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions in the ROC violates the Olympic Charter. It is stated that during the suspension, the ROC will not be able to function as a national Olympic committee and receive funding from the Olympic movement.

The IOC also made it clear that it reserved the decision on the admission of athletes from Russia to the Olympic Games. IOC Communications Director Mark Adams said that the decision on the admission of athletes from Russia to the 2024 Summer Olympic Games will be made closer to the start of the Olympics, which will be held in the French capital of Paris.

On October 13, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said that athletes from Russia should not have ties to the Russian Olympic Committee in order to qualify for admission to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.