Last Updated: March 19, 2024, 15:07 IST
Thomas Bach says the ‘aggressiveness is rising by the day’. (AFP Photo)
The IOC will enable Russian and Belarusian athletes who qualify for Paris Olympics to participate as neutrals with out their nations’ flags, emblems or nationwide anthems.
Russia’s authorities is turning into more and more aggressive in direction of the International Olympic Committee because the Paris Games draw close to, IOC President Thomas Bach stated on Tuesday.
Russia sports activities minister Oleg Matytsin stated final week Russia mustn’t boycott the July 26 to August 11 Games regardless of restrictions on its athletes imposed by the IOC over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
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The IOC will enable Russian and Belarusian athletes who qualify to participate as neutrals with out their nations’ flags, emblems or nationwide anthems.
“As far as their participation is concerned, we have heard the rather polite signal (from the Russian sports minister) … but on the other hand, we’ve also seen the government’s very aggressive comments,” Bach informed French every day Le Monde.
He added that their participation within the opening and shutting ceremonies can be mentioned on Tuesday and Wednesday on the IOC’s government board.
“The IOC doesn’t comment, but we ‘can see that the government’s aggressiveness is growing by the day, against the IOC, against the Games, against me,” he stated.
“They range from ‘fascist’ to ‘destroyer of the Games and the Olympic movement’. And it all comes from Russian officials. I don’t know if it’s coming from Vladimir Putin himself, I don’t look at Telegram every day, I’m not that masochistic, but the attacks are coming from all levels.”
Bach additionally dominated out the concept of Israeli athletes collaborating as neutrals in Paris amid rising criticism over Israel’s army marketing campaign in opposition to Hamas in Gaza.
“Things are very clear. Unlike the Russian Olympic Committee, the Israeli Olympic Committee has not violated the Olympic Charter,” the German stated.
“The Russian Olympic Committee wants to exercise its authority over the regions annexed by the Russian government. This is a violation of the territorial integrity and the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine.
“In the Olympic world, we have had for 30 years what the political world calls a two-state solution: we have an Israeli National Olympic Committee and a Palestinian National Olympic Committee.
“These two national Olympic committees have coexisted peacefully for 30 years,” he added.
Bach assured there can be Palestinian athletes in Paris.
“If not enough Palestinian athletes qualify, we will invite them. We will be able to rely on our Olympic solidarity programme, which stipulates that at least six athletes per National Olympic Committee are required,” he stated.
(This story has not been edited by News18 employees and is printed from a syndicated information company feed – Reuters)
