The front of the 'no' to the participation of Russia and Belarus in the Paris 2024 Olympics as long as the war continues is widening and the boycott hypothesis is gaining ground, even if Ukraine has postponed any decision for now.
And an interim signal arrives from the White House, which says that the situation is still very complex: "We say no to Russian and Belarusian athletes, unless they participate without flags, anthems or national symbols".
In essence, something very similar to the Cio hypothesis.
Around which, however, there is still a lot of opposition.
A final decision by Kiev has not yet been taken but the Ukrainian sports minister, Vadym Gutzeit,
in a press conference convened after the meeting of the Ukrainian Olympic Committee (which in fact took two months to decide while waiting to understand how the IOC will move) he reiterated his clear opposition to opening up, even to that in neutral: "We are really against allowing Russian and Belarusian sportsmen to participate in competitions."
In recent days, the IOC had made it known that it wanted to "explore a path" to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete in Paris under a neutral flag, a line essentially shared by the United States which, through the spokeswoman of the White House, Katerine Jean-Pierre , have emphasized blocking Russian and Belarusian athletes at the 2024 Paris Olympics unless it is 'absolutely clear'
who do not represent their respective countries without the use of official flags, emblems or anthems.
However, according to Polish sports minister Kamil Bortniczuk there are at least 40 countries that oppose the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in next year's Olympic Games, and today the prime ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania urged the IOC to ban the Russian athletes stating that a boycott is a possibility.
Estonian Minister of Culture Piret Hartman, Lithuanian Minister of Education, Science and Sports Jurgita Šiugždinienė and Latvian Anda Čakša joined Bortniczuk in expressing their opposition to the return of athletes from "aggressor countries" and "allowing that sport is used to legitimize and divert the
ANSA agency
Paris 2024, Malagò: 'Boycott Ukraine?
Stronger if united' - Sport
President Coni: 'The decision is not yet official' (ANSA)
"Efforts to bring Russian and Belarusian athletes back to international sporting competitions under the veil of neutrality legitimize these countries' political decisions and widespread propaganda also through the use of sport as a distraction from illegal aggression against Ukraine," it said. law in the joint statement.
And the Danish government has also said it is against the presence of Russian athletes under a neutral flag at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, deeming it "incomprehensible" that the International Olympic Committee is considering it despite Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
L'
Ukraine in postponing decision whether or not to boycott the upcoming Olympic Games in case of opening to participation of Russia and Belarus has decided to step up its efforts to lobby international sports leaders, endorsing plans to consult and persuade sports leaders from all over the world in the next two months.
"We are strongly against it, until the war ends", added Gutzeit, specifying that the Olympic committee will return to discuss the situation - and the boycott hypothesis - in two months", announcing that "on 10 February, the Gran Brittany will convene a summit of European ministers of sport to discuss the question of the admission of Russians and Belarusians". In recent days, the IOC had warned that in the event of a boycott the
Ukraine would violate the Olympic Charter.
"And the violation of the peace? - said Gutzeit - Isn't it a violation of the Olympic Charter? People are dying and we are fighting for our independence. I don't understand how we are violating the Charter".
Paris would be the fourth consecutive Olympics where Russian athletes could compete without the national flag or anthem.
One of the possibilities that the IOC would consider is to have Russian and Belarusian athletes compete under the designation of Independent Olympc Athlet (IOA), but this possibility too sees firm opposition from Ukraine.
.
Paris would be the fourth consecutive Olympics where Russian athletes could compete without the national flag or anthem.
One of the possibilities that the IOC would consider is to have Russian and Belarusian athletes compete under the designation of Independent Olympc Athlet (IOA), but this possibility too sees firm opposition from Ukraine.
.
Paris would be the fourth consecutive Olympics where Russian athletes could compete without the national flag or anthem.
One of the possibilities that the IOC would consider is to have Russian and Belarusian athletes compete under the designation of Independent Olympc Athlet (IOA), but this possibility too sees firm opposition from Ukraine.
