MOSCOW, Mar 17 One of the oldest Japanese publications The Mainichi criticized the International Olympic committee (IOC) for excessive politicization. An editorial published on Tuesday argues that Olympic neutrality and the slogan «Sport is out of politics» are utopianism, since the IOC directly depends on the current political situation in the world and sponsors, and the Games themselves are often In connection with the recommendation of the IOC to prevent Russian and Belarusian athletes from participating in international competitions, political science professor at the University of the Pacific Jules Boykoff suggested that the IOC abandon such political gestures as the parade of athletes at the opening and closing ceremonies of the Games. In his opinion, the neutrality of all athletes and the absence of state symbols will make the Games a pure and non-politicized competition. Instead of subdividing by country, the professor suggested grouping athletes according to the sports they represent. «Athletes could get to know each other better through this mix. If the IOC recognizes the policy, then this opens the door to a deeper discussion of what policies the IOC supports,» — quotes the words of Boykoff The Mainichi.
