IOC points suggestions for return to competitions of Russian athletes

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IOC points suggestions for return to competitions of Russian athletes

The International Olympic Committee on Tuesday issued suggestions for a gradual return to worldwide competitions for Russian and Belarusian athletes, with President Thomas Bach saying their participation “works” regardless of the continued conflict in Ukraine.

Bach mentioned the IOC govt board’s suggestions solely concern the return of these athletes to worldwide competitors, and never the 2024 Olympics, the place a separate choice shall be taken at a later date.

Bach mentioned at a press convention after the assembly, “Sports organizations should have full responsibility for deciding which athletes can participate in international competitions on the basis of their sporting merit, not on political grounds or because of their passports.” On the idea.”

The IOC banned Russia and Belarus after their February 2022 invasion, however is now eager to see athletes return to all sports activities and have an opportunity to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

It has set a path for these rivals to earn Olympic slots by means of Asian qualifying and left it to worldwide federations to resolve on organisation, however Ukraine has threatened to boycott the Paris Games, right here Even being impartial, he has threatened to boycott the Paris Games.

“The participation of athletes with Russian and Belarusian passports in international competitions works,” Bach mentioned earlier in his tackle originally of the IOC Executive Board assembly in Lausanne.

“We see this almost every day in many sports, most prominently in tennis but also in cycling in some table tennis competitions.”

“We see it ice hockey, handball we see it in soccer and in other leagues in the United States but also in Europe and we see it in other continents,” he mentioned. “There are no safety incidents happening at any of these competitions.”

Russians and Belarusians have been competing in some sports activities as neutrals, however their presence at sure occasions, reminiscent of tennis tournaments, has triggered indignant reactions from another athletes.

IOC suggestions

Bach mentioned Russian and Belarusian athletes might solely compete as neutrals, with none flag or anthem, to observe suggestions from occasion organizers and sports activities federations.

They can not compete in staff occasions and should have a confirmed drug testing report.

Athletes who help a conflict or are contracted to their nations’ navy or nationwide safety company could not take part.

Bach mentioned, nevertheless, that these suggestions don’t embrace the Paris 2024 Olympics and the potential participation of Russia and Belarus.

“The IOC will make this decision at the appropriate time in its sole discretion without being bound by the results of previous Olympic qualifiers,” Bach mentioned. He didn’t say when the IOC would take a choice.

World Athletics, the largest Olympic crowdpuller, nevertheless, final week determined to ban Russians and Belarusians from all of its occasions for the foreseeable future due to the conflict, going in opposition to the IOC.

A dozen nations boycotted this month’s Women’s World Boxing Championships in protest at their presence on the occasion, whereas greater than 300 fencers wrote to Bach asking the IOC to rethink permitting them to return, calling it “devastating”. error”, if Russia and Belarus got here again.

Athletes Deutschland, a gaggle of Germany’s elite athletes, additionally referred to as on the IOC on Tuesday to ban them outright all through the conflict.

“As long as the war of aggression continues, we consider a complete boycott of Russia and Belarus imperative,” it mentioned in a press release. “The exclusion ought to apply to federations, officers and sadly additionally to athletes.

Bach mentioned that politics can’t be part of sporting occasions and that athletes shouldn’t be penalized for his or her passports.

“We will be unable to give you an answer that pleases everybody. We could must reside with it.


With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS

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