Following the IOC’s decision to temporarily reinstate the russian Olympic Committee and revoke the recommendations regarding russian athletes’ participation in international competitions, Ukraine’s Minister of Youth and Sports, Matvii Bidnyi, appealed to the governments of various countries and international sports federations. He called for preventing the return of russian state symbols to sports arenas.
The minister announced his position on Facebook.
Matvii Bidnyi stated that the IOC’s decision is an alarming signal for the international community.
According to him, countries hosting international sporting events should not allow the display of the russian flag or other state symbols.
“Under this flag, an unprovoked war against Ukraine continues; every day, civilians are dying and Ukrainian cities are being destroyed. The symbols of the aggressor state cannot be part of a sporting celebration,” the minister emphasized.
He also expressed hope that the IOC would separately consider the issue of using russian state symbols during the Olympic Games.
What is Ukraine’s position on the return of the russian flag to the Olympics?
Bidnyi also appealed to international sports federations not to lift the current restrictions on russian representatives.
According to the minister, Ukraine will continue to work with international partners to prevent the legitimization of russian aggression through sports, maintain restrictions on representatives of the aggressor state, and prevent the use of international sporting events as a tool of russian propaganda.
In late June, the IOC had already amended the provisions of the Olympic Charter. According to the Ukrainian side, these changes pave the way for russia’s full return to international sports.
As a reminder, the International Olympic Committee decided to reinstate the russian Olympic Committee and recommended that international sports federations lift all restrictions on russian athletes.
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