Posted: 21.02.2023 16:42:00

IOC Head urged politicians not to interfere in the issue of admission of Belarusian and Russian athletes

The Head of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, said that it is not the prerogative of governments to decide who can compete in which sports, RIA Novosti reports

Photo: www.reuters.com

At the end of January, the IOC Executive Committee called for the return of athletes from Russia and Belarus to international competitions in a neutral status. The IOC is currently discussing mechanisms for athletes' participation with international federations. At the same time, a number of countries opposed the admission of Belarusians and Russians.

“At the Australian Open, we saw a Ukrainian tennis player (Katerina Beindl) play with a neutral player (Kamilla Rakhimova) with a Russian passport. We saw a Belarusian tennis player (Arina Sobolenko) with neutral status and even won the Australian Open. So why is that in the swimming pool? Or not possible in the gym? We take human rights issues seriously and should take them seriously," Thomas Bach said.

“Governments do not decide who participates in sporting events. This will be the end of international sports competition as we know it today,” the Head of the International Olympic Committee added.