Posted: 09.06.2022 10:32:00

IOC President condemned Wimbledon’s ban on Belarusian and Russian athletes

The President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach, condemned the decision of Wimbledon organisers to ban Belarusian and Russian tennis players from participation in the tournament, believing that it is necessary to keep sports outside the negative political trend, Lenta.ru reports

Photo: www.ria.ru

In April 2022, the leadership of Wimbledon banned athletes from Belarus and Russia from participating in the tournament, which caused a wave of indignation in the sports community. During a meeting of the General Assembly of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) in Lausanne, IOC President Thomas Bach hinted that he did not like that the decision to suspend was taken under pressure from the UK government.

According to Mr. Bach, the task of the IOC is to keep sport outside the negative political trend, “We need governments to respect the role of the IOC. Look at our tennis friends. In Paris, Belarusians and Russians could play at Roland Garros as neutral athletes. But before Wimbledon in London, the British government is saying no way. If we allow this, then we are lost.”

Thomas Bach noted that it is impossible to guarantee fair international competition if governments, in accordance with their political interests, decide for themselves who can participate in tournaments and who cannot.

“Today it is Russia and Belarus, and tomorrow it is your country. There is no country in the world which is loved by every other government,” believes IOC President.