IOC is urged by the Council of Europe to exclude Russian and Belarusian athletes from the 2024 Olympics
The top human rights organization in Europe requested on Thursday that all Russian and Belarusian athletes be barred from competing in the 2024 Olympics for “as long as Russia’s war of aggression” in Ukraine.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and its affiliated sports federations were encouraged by the Council of Europe to respect “its position expressed in 2022 and to ban the participation” of these athletes in the next Olympics and “all other major sporting events.”
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February of last year, athletes from Russia and Belarus have been subject to penalties from many different sports.
However, the IOC suggested in March that athletes from Russia and its ally Belarus be permitted to participate in international tournaments as neutrals as long as they did not openly support the conflict in Ukraine.
The Council of Europe said that any participation by these athletes would be “unthinkable” at a July session in Strasbourg.
They “would undoubtedly be used as a propaganda tool and would in fact bar other athletes, particularly Ukrainians, from competing.”
In response to the IOC’s stance on Russia and Belarus, Ukraine has threatened to boycott those competitions.
The necessity to denounce the crimes perpetrated and to show the complete and unwavering support of the international community for Ukraine as the assault continues makes it clear that the reasons in favor of their (Russia and Belarus’) involvement are insufficient.
“Elite athletes from Russia and Belarus have received state salaries and frequently competed for military sports teams,” the letter said.
“It seems improbable that they could show their neutrality and distance from these regimes, much less make a statement against the war,” said one observer.
