“For me, Thomas Bach is no longer IOC President”

The legendary hockey player and coach, two-time Olympic champion, State Duma deputy Vyacheslav Fetisov spoke about his attitude to the latest IOC recommendations on the admission of Russian and Belarusian athletes to international competitions.

– At the recent IOC Executive Committee, revised recommendations were adopted on the admission of Russian and Belarusian athletes to international competitions. At the same time, IOC President Thomas Bach now constantly says that he is protecting the rights of Russian and Belarusian athletes, doing everything possible to allow them to participate in tournaments at least in some status. How do you assess this situation and this position of Bach?

– This is an unrestricted position. It violates all rights, firstly, the athletes themselves. Secondly, all the foundations and traditions of the International Olympic Committee. And there are enough examples of this lately. Since the days of the Cold War, there have never been such decisions by the IOC. There were boycotts, there were protests, but I don’t remember this. I’m just wondering how Samaranch would behave in such a situation? Bach, being himself an Olympic champion, tramples on everything that is generally connected with Olympism. Complete legal chaos. I don’t think the IOC Charter says anything about that decision.

We ourselves are to some extent to blame for this. Either parliament or the community of sports veterans must send a letter to the IOC with demands and clear wording: “We will return only if our flag and anthem are returned. Or amend the IOC Charter to legalize your decisions. Otherwise, goodbye.” Then there would be no expectations, no games “if you say what you need, turn away from what you don’t need, then we will give you the opportunity to speak.” This could be endless. Therefore, I believe that our omissions also exist. That such things are offered to us, and we constantly conceded in our position. As far as doping is concerned, everything is clear – all points are spelled out in the WADA code. And by admission, the situation is limitless and unprecedented. Which, except for the destruction of the entire system of the Olympic movement, will not lead to anything good.

Lots of weird stuff lately. The same team of refugees that appeared under Bach. What it is? People can get to the Olympics only on the basis of the results of qualifying qualification tournaments. And only athletes representing their country. Only those who cherish its symbols and values. What kind of people are on the refugee team? Who are they? Why are they there? What is it about the Olympic Games? Not only traditions are being trampled, but also the very status of the Olympic Games. Which made them the most popular sporting event in the world, in the history of mankind.

I took part in the work of two bid committees. The President of the country receives the leaders of international sports, billions of rubles are spent on holding games and championships, on holding a bidding campaign. And the Olympics have such value only due to the observance of all the traditions and foundations laid down in ancient times, and then revived by Pierre de Coubertin, who said: “Oh, sport, you are the world!”. And sport is no longer the world. Sport is already a war.

The status of current Olympic champions is also violated. There are many of them in our country. And some of them no longer have the opportunity to compete and defend their title.

It is clear that different international sports organizations are created for different purposes. But the main component of the IOC’s ideology is the maintenance of peace on our planet. Due to the Olympic Games, which today have become a global international project. It is the observance of all the traditions and foundations of Olympism that leads to peace. All conflicts end sooner or later. And I don’t know how to comply with all these new recommendations. What decisions will be made in the next conflict? Therefore, for me, Thomas Bach is no longer the president of the IOC today. If you can’t abide by the Olympic laws, leave.

– German Interior Minister Nancy Fraser threatened to refuse visas to Russian and Belarusian athletes for tournaments to be held in her country if the IOC continues to insist on its recommendations. How do you rate this statement?

— Thomas Bach is also from Germany. Is there some connection here? Let’s then remember the 1936 Summer and Winter Olympic Games, which were held in Nazi Germany on the eve of the bloodiest war in the history of mankind. At the same time, visas were given to all athletes. These are double standards. And wasn’t that Olympics propaganda of an ideology that brought so much suffering to all people in the future? If I were the officials from Germany, I would generally refrain from commenting on such a topic. And this once again confirms that sport is no longer a messenger of peace for them. They make international sport hostage to their decisions. It won’t lead to anything good.

– Until the moment when Pierre de Coubertin created the International Olympic Committee, there was no such organization. Maybe now is the time to think about creating new international sports institutions?

– Who will create them? Then it was a joint decision of a large number of countries. And the creation of new international organizations will also require the desire of many countries that dare to talk about it.

The main task of sport is to unite people. History knows such examples – “ping-pong diplomacy”. After World War II there was a flourishing of international sports competitions. Which helped people feel their unity, because yesterday’s opponents participated in these tournaments. They helped the world forget the horrors it had to go through. Sport gives humanity the opportunity to correct their mistakes. As with the same Cold War. I remember the first time I walked into the locker room of the NHL’s New Jersey Devils in 1989, I immediately felt that I was not welcome here. And some even hate it. Because I am from the Soviet Union, because I was a major in the Soviet army. And playing hockey when no one is covering your back is just dangerous for your health. Within a year or two, we were all friends. Our families were friends. Because we fought for a common idea, for a common victory. For me, this is the most obvious example of how sport erases all misunderstandings.

Today, as an Olympic champion, as a hockey player inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, I can’t go anywhere. Because I was sanctioned because I support the policy of my state. I cannot communicate with foreign colleagues as a parliamentarian elected by my people. To convey our position. And I am also the ambassador of the UN, which exists to find mutual understanding between people, on five programs for the protection of the environment, nature and sports. This is a universal human activity for the sake of our children and grandchildren, which I also cannot conduct. It turns out that these tools do not work today. A very strange situation, especially through the prism of history.

Read the full interview with Vyacheslav Fetisov in one of the next issues of MK.