The organization called on athletes and governments not to participate in competitions organized by aggressor country
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) strongly condemned the holding of the so-called “Friendship Games” in Russia.
The IOC published a statement on its official website in which it called on countries not to participate in competitions that The aggressor state is organizing against the backdrop of exclusion from international sports due to a full-scale war against Ukraine.
The international organization called the Russian Friendship Games “a cynical attempt to politicize sport,” and also accused the Russian government of “complete disrespect for global anti-doping standards and the integrity of competitions.”
It is noted that the first summer “Friendship Games” The Russians plan to hold the winter Friendship Games in Moscow and Yekaterinburg in September 2024, and in 2026 in Sochi.
“The Russian government has launched a very intense diplomatic offensive, involving government delegations and ambassadors, as well as ministerial and other government bodies, reaching out to governments around the world. To make their purely political motivation even more obvious, they are deliberately bypassing sports organizations in target countries. This is rude violation of the Olympic Charter and at the same time violation of various UN resolutions.
This is a cynical attempt by the Russian Federation to politicize sport. The IOC Athletes' Commission, which represents all Olympians around the world, is against the use of athletes for political propaganda. The Commission even sees the risk that their governments will force athletes to participate in such a completely politicized sporting event, thus being used as part of a political propaganda campaign.
The Russian government also shows complete disrespect for global anti-doping standards and integrity competitions. This is the same government that was involved in the systemic doping program at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, and later in the manipulation of anti-doping data.
The Olympic Movement strongly condemns any initiative to completely politicize sport, including the creation of fully politicized sporting events by the Russian government. The IOC urges all stakeholders of the Olympic movement and all governments to refuse any participation in or support for any initiatives whose goal is to completely politicize international sport,” the IOC statement says.
Recall that on December 8, 2023, the IOC adopted decisionto admitRussians and Belarusians to the 2024 Olympics in a neutral status. They will be able to perform only in individual competitions, while teams of aggressor countries will not be allowed in. Also, any national symbols of the Russian Federation and Belarus – anthems , flags, etc.
In addition, Russian and Belarusian athletes who publicly support the war or have contracts with the armies of aggressor states will not be allowed to participate in the 2024 Olympic Games.
Summer Olympics the games in Paris will take place from July 26 to August 11, 2024.