The British authorities has written to the largest sponsors of the Olympics urging them to stress the International Olympic Committee over its stance on permitting athletes from Russia to return to competitors.
Most Olympic Games have excluded athletes from Russia and its ally Belarus, shortly after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
“We know that sport and politics are intertwined in Russia and Belarus, and we are determined that the regimes in Russia and Belarus must not be allowed to use sport for their propaganda purposes,” stated British Culture Secretary Lucy Fraser wrote 13 of the Olympics. Biggest sponsors together with Airbnb, Visa and Samsung.
Britain was considered one of 35 nations that final month signed a press release criticizing the IOC’s plan to have Russians and Belarusians compete in qualifying occasions for the 2024 Paris Olympics as impartial athletes with out nationwide symbols. earlier than being allowed to return to competitors.
Those nations have been skeptical in regards to the IOC’s deliberate impartial place and stated that athletes from Russia and Belarus needs to be excluded if these issues weren’t addressed, significantly relating to athletes with hyperlinks to the Russian state or navy.
“Until our concerns and the substantial lack of clarity and concrete details on the model of practical neutrality are addressed, we do not agree that Russian and Belarusian athletes should be allowed to return to competition. IOC’s Taking into account the stated position that no final decision has been taken, we strongly urge the IOC to address the questions identified by all countries and reconsider its proposal accordingly,” Fraser wrote.
“As an Olympic participant, I would welcome your views on this matter and ask you to join us in pressuring the IOC to address the concerns raised in our statement.” The launch of the letter got here as fencing joined judo in reopening entry to athletes from Russia and Belarus forward of qualifying occasions for the Paris Games.
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
