MOSCOW, Mar 17The Athletes' Commission of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) condemned the actions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) against the civilian population of Donetsk in a statement addressed to the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Thomas Bach, posted on the Telegram channel of the Athletes' Commission. Previously, the Executive Committee of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) ) recommended that sports federations not allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete due to the aggravation of the situation in Ukraine. The ROC Athletes' Commission called on the IOC to develop the international sports movement to unite countries, peoples and respect the equal rights of all athletes, regardless of their nationality.
"On March 14, 2022, as a result of a rocket explosion of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in a residential area of Donetsk, dozens of civilians were killed. Among the victims are children, whose names will soon appear on a mourning slab on the Alley of Angels in Donetsk, one of the most mournful memorials in the world. UN Secretary-General António Guterres on the same day condemned this act of military aggression against civilians. For its part, the Commission of Athletes of the Russian Olympic Committee also strongly condemns the barbaric, inhuman attack committed by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, prudently directed against the civilian population of Donetsk, and also expresses deep condolences to the families and friends of the victims", the statement says.
and members of the IOC Executive Committee attention to the fact that such crimes have been committed with the direct participation of the Ukrainian authorities over the past eight years, including during the periods of the so-called «Olympic truce». people as a result of the excesses of Ukrainian nationalists all these years remained unnoticed by the International Olympic Committee.At the same time, today we are faced with a selective, highly politicized approach of the IOC to athletes from different countries and disregard for the Olympic Charter, which resulted in discrimination and undeserved expulsion of Russian athletes from participation in international international competitions,» the text reads.