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The senior coach of the Russian national biathlon team Yuri Kaminsky in an interview with Sport said that the International Olympic committee (IOC) set humiliating conditions for Russian athletes for admission to competitions, explained what the IOC could really do to resolve the situation, and also spoke about the possible dismissal of athletes from the army in order to save an international career.
— Yuri Mikhailovich, do you think the IOC requirements for Russian athletes are humiliating?
— Undoubtedly. If we consider the Olympic principles, how did it happen at the Games in antiquity? The fighting stopped for this period. In place of the IOC, I would make such a proposal. It is clear that the conflict is no longer between Russia and Ukraine. Our neighbor is a tool, no one asks anything from the same Zelensky and from Ukraine itself. China does not refer to it, while America only points out. Today it is the position of two systems. If the issue is not resolved, the world will come to a global catastrophe.
— How realistic do you think it is to hear the IOC's call for a halt to hostilities?
— You can try. They began to say that sport unites, although it pleases. Were people fundamentally different before? Probably, from the standpoint of technology, they are less developed than we are now. But they could do it, but for some reason we can't.
As for discrimination against athletes, I can say that sport is a different field of activity. Why Ukrainians can say whatever they want. After all, in reality, this regime for eight years showed absolutely fascist methods, including hiding the mass destruction of people. Why are we not talking about this? You have to be objective in every way. People who call themselves civilized don't want to behave civilized.
— You must have read the UN statements that even soldiers and military personnel should take part in the Olympic Games.
— Here, as always, legal casuistry begins, that they belong to law enforcement agencies. There must be compromise options, because the task of the IOC is to bring together the strongest athletes in the competition. They should strive for this, and not carry out the instructions of some governments and international blocs.
— Are there any biathletes in Russia who are not connected with law enforcement agencies?- Perhaps there is one of the women, and the men, in theory, are all connected. One way or another, almost all the leaders of the Russian team represent CSKA. Options are possible. For example, transfer them to customs conditionally. On the other hand, let's see, is Poland not at war or what? Is Germany not involved? In fact, we are fighting the NATO bloc. It's just that there is an obvious conflict and there is a hidden one. Let's all then clean up and remove the military.
— Historically, biathletes in most countries are somehow connected with the army.
— Definitely. I will even say more, there is such information that Quentin Fillon-Maillet trained with snipers from the French army before the Olympic Games in Beijing. We also had such ideas, but they did not materialize.
— President of the RRF Viktor Maygurov said last fall that if the issue of admission to international competitions arises through dismissal from the army, then 99 percent of biathletes will do so. Is it really possible?
— It must be understood that the Olympic Games are the main goal for all athletes. Of course, they can make such sacrifices to participate in competitions.
—But can the IOC deceive and still not allow it?
>—Let's hope that they are unlikely to deceive. But such an approach itself is already discrimination.