Poland reaffirms its readiness to boycott the Olympic Games if Russians participate
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Poland is ready to boycott the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris if Russia and Belarus participate in the competitions, if the International Olympic Committee (IOC) does not take into account Warsaw’s position on this issue. This was stated by the Minister of Sports and Tourism of Poland Kamil Bortnichuk. Earlier on the need for such a measure said Deputy Foreign Minister of Poland Pavel Yablonsky.
“The boycott is, of course, the strongest card we have. We, as Poles, say that we should be potentially ready to apply this argument, to consider such a scenario, we can no longer exclude it now, but only in a situation where all other movements, attempts at negotiations, compromise proposals will not meet with the understanding of the IOC,” – the minister told reporters (quote from RIA Novosti).
At the same time, he stressed that Russian and Belarusian athletes will not participate in the 2023 European Games, which will be held in Poland from June 21 to July 2. According to him, Russia and Belarus will not be admitted even in a neutral status.
After the start of the special operation in 2022, the IOC recommended that international sports federations prevent Russian and Belarusian athletes from participating in competitions. Since the beginning of 2023, the IOC has allowed the return of athletes from these countries to competitions under a number of conditions: participation in a neutral status only for those who did not publicly support the actions of the Russian authorities during the special operation.
Several countries have criticized the committee’s position. So, for the non-admission of Russia and Belarus to the Olympic Games spoke 35 countries, including USA, Germany, Australia and Poland. The Baltic States and Poland sent in a joint statement to the IOC, calling the proposed easing “justification for political decisions” by the authorities of Russia and Belarus. Ukrainian side invited IOC President Thomas Bach to Bachmut to prove that there is no neutrality in combat. Thomas Bach criticized politicians for interfering in sporting events.
More about the situation – in the material “Kommersant” “Ukrainians demand continuation of the boycott”.
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