The Olympic body, challenged almost daily since it sketched a roadmap in January to reintegrate Russians and Belarusians into world sport, "
appreciates the constructive questions
" addressed to it by this coalition, said a spokesperson. at AFP.
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If the IOC is still in the phase of "
detailed consultations
" with the actors of Olympism - from the international federations to the national Olympic committees via the representatives of the athletes -, the questions expressed in the letter on Monday will be "
taken into consideration
" , continued the same source.
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In a joint letter, the result of a conference organized on February 11 between sports ministers from some thirty countries, including France, Great Britain, Sweden, Poland, the United States and Canada, this coalition calls for to the IOC “
clarifications
” on the neutrality required for Russian and Belarusian athletes conditioning their participation in the 2024 Olympics.
"
We are very concerned about the feasibility for Russian and Belarusian Olympic athletes to participate as + neutrals + (...) while they are financed and supported by their States
", explains this letter obtained Monday by AFP .
"
Until these fundamental issues, as well as the cruel lack of clarity and concrete details on the definition of 'neutrality' are not addressed, we do not accept that Russian and Belarusian athletes are allowed to return to competition.
“say its signatories.
Russian athletes must not have '
actively supported the war in Ukraine
'
In its response, the IOC recalls the principles laid down in early December by the participants in the Olympic Summit, who had for the first time envisaged a return of Russians and Belarusians as "neutral athletes", who would not "in any way
represent
their
country or another organization in their country, as is already the case in professional leagues, particularly in Europe, the United States and Canada, and in certain individual sports
”.
In addition, they would have to “
fully respect the Olympic Charter
”, therefore not having “
actively supported the war in Ukraine
”, and comply with the World Anti-Doping Code.