Thursday International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach held a press conference on the results of the three-day work of the executive committee of the organization. The topic of recommendations on the admission of athletes from Russia and Belarus to international tournaments in a neutral status was again raised. From the key: Bach announced an even firmer position among the members of the organization regarding the correctness of the chosen path and allowed the performance of athletes related to the army, noting that each case should be considered separately.
Recall that new recommendations on the admission of Russian and Belarusian athletes to tournaments in a neutral status were announced by Bach on Tuesday after the first day of the meeting of the IOC Executive Committee. Among the key points — you can only compete in individual competitions, there should not be any association with Russia or Belarus, the uniform (except, of course, for sports where the presence of a competitive suit is expected) must be white or one-color, neutral status will not be given to athletes who are connected with the army or the security services.
From the last provision, it followed that athletes from CSKA, Dynamo and the National Guard should be closed to international competitions, and this was confirmed in a comment for the press service of the IOC on Tuesday evening. However, in fact, the question remains open. There are too many nuances in the application of this criterion: for example, the word “contract” is mentioned there, but what about those athletes who, for example, decide to quit sports clubs under law enforcement agencies right now and at the time of consideration of their application for neutral status, have contracts won't they?
“This is a difficult question,” Bach stated when asked exactly about this. “We asked military and sports experts. The recommendation to contact the army is needed in order to separate those people who are doing compulsory military service on conscription, and those who signed contract of their own free will. This is the main reason for this formula. Since the whole system is very complex, we recommend that international federations get an answer to these questions from independent panels, they should consider each case individually and ensure a harmonious approach. «
br>Thus, Bach confirmed the position that the IOC spokesman Mark Adams stated the day before: all Russians and Belarusians representing sports clubs associated with the army and law enforcement agencies will not be deployed with machine guns. What's more, Adams said on Wednesday that the IOC is continuing to work on the details of the criteria set out in the five-page document. Probably, the Russian side has a basis for negotiations with Lausanne on softening or even abolishing such a clearly discriminatory clause.
Moreover, Bach confirmed his determination not to cave in under the pressure of all those who curse the IOC for two days for compromises in relation to the Russians. And there are enough of them: these are officials of various levels from Poland, the Czech Republic and other countries, who, as they say, burn one place from any mention of the name of our country in any context.
“The IOC members are extremely concerned about the politicization of sport and the attitude of governments that want to seize the right to organize tournaments in their own and even in other countries,” Bach said. “The intervention of governments has made the position of the IOC members even more united. «Our recommendations, use a policy of double standards. We have no sanctions against other countries that are currently involved in about 70 armed conflicts. It is even more unfortunate that they do not pay attention to the statements of the UN rapporteurs in the field of human rights.»
Bach is not afraid of the threat of a boycott from Ukraine either. Earlier, the IOC has already given a rebuff on this topic with the words «we understand that Ukraine is trying to isolate Russia in all areas.» And now the president of the organization recalled that it was not in vain that changes were made to the Olympic Charter, and now each NOC is obliged to send athletes to the Games.
«In Russia, even before the new recommendations, we were called US agents. Ukrainian representatives believe that we took the side of the Russians. Both sides in this confrontation are not satisfied, but on the other hand, this may mean that we have found some kind of middle ground on which we can build the basis of understanding in world sport, «said Bach.
“We have not yet made a decision on the participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus in the 2024 Olympics, but previously many athletes from countries that fought hostilities participated in the Olympic Games, including athletes from countries that are at war with each other. Based on this experience, we hope that the Olympic spirit will prevail in this case as well,» the IOC President said.
True, Bach did not give a clear answer to the question of why not to announce the admission of athletes from Russia and Belarus — albeit in a neutral status with strict criteria for its issuance — right now. As early as Tuesday, he assured that the organization was not «kicking off» this topic and was not waiting for the outcome of the special military operation. «We will follow the practical implementation of our recommendations,» Bach said.
Apparently, he means the following. World sport, alas, may now plunge into chaos. Some countries already now do not want to hold competitions with the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes — for example, Germany and Denmark refuse to organize fencing tournaments. Surely there will be individual athletes who will make political demarches in matches against the Russians. If the international federations manage to keep the situation under control, Russia and Belarus will go to the Olympics.
Unless, of course, having received largely humiliating admission criteria, they themselves want it. On the one hand, it is necessary to speak in order to show the ill-wishers «Kuzkin's mother», but on the other hand, it becomes too lousy in the soul when you read about the same «white uniform». I would like to send those who came up with these criteria to hell, because this is segregation in its most disgusting manifestation, if you call a spade a spade. Previously, Bach constantly spoke about the dilemma when he complained about the reasons for the removal of Russian and Belarusian athletes. Like, we cannot fulfill the function of the peacekeeping mission of sport, but there is no other way. Now, at least partially, the IOC has solved this dilemma. But now we, it turns out, have our own dilemma — and no less serious.