Former French biathlon star Martin Fourcade, IOC member and president of the Paris-2024 Athletes' Commission, said he was in favor of the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes to competitions, in an interview broadcast on Saturday.
"
As a representative of athletes and as an athlete, I think we should think about a return of Russian and Belarusian athletes to sports competitions
," said the most successful Frenchman in the history of the Winter Olympics. in its first public statement on the subject.
"
I really believe in the values of sport, and I really don't think anyone should be banned from competition because of their passport or nationality
," he said in an English interview with
NRK
.
The five-time Olympic champion stressed that he was speaking in a personal capacity and that it was a question of principle - an athlete should not be banned "
because his president is behaving like a madman
" -, not necessarily linked to the Paris Olympics.
“
For me, Paris or not Paris, that's not the question.
My position is not linked to a date (given, editor's note) or to the next World Cup
, ”he said.
According to him, these Russian and Belarusian athletes should be able to compete under a neutral banner.
Fourcade also said that he "
fully supports the Ukrainian people
" - "
I am 100% with them
" - and that "
this war is horrible
".
