The head of the IOC said that there will be no boycott of the Olympics by Russia and Ukraine

The head of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach, speaking at the General Assembly of the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) of Oceania, said that a boycott of the Olympic Games in Paris by Ukraine and Russia was avoided. According to him, the discussion on the admission of Russian athletes is over.

“At the ANOC general assembly in Seoul, tension was felt in the room, with threats of boycott made on both sides. We can now say that this discussion is over for now,” said Mr. Bach (quoted by TASS).

According to him, opinions are still different: some believe that the application of sanctions against those who violated the Olympic Charter is excessive, while others believe that it is not enough. Thomas Bach emphasized that such a difference of opinion often indicates the right decision. “If both parties are 100% unhappy, then you made the right decision,” said Mr. Bach.

In October 2022, a delegation of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) took part in the general assembly of the Association of National Olympic Sports (ANOC) in Seoul. During the speech of the head of the ROC Stanislav Pozdnyakov, the head of the NOC of Denmark Hans Natorp defiantly left the hall. In turn, representatives of Ukraine called on the IOC to suspend Russian athletes from participation in the games and threatened to boycott the competition.

The Olympic Games in Paris will take place from July 26 to August 11, 2024. Athletes from Russia and Belarus will be able to take part in the games only in a neutral status, exclusively in the individual competition and provided that the athlete is not associated with law enforcement agencies. Also, Russian and Belarusian athletes will not take part in the team parade at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.

Read more about the reaction of Russian athletes to the IOC conditions in the material “The archers changed their target”.

Alexandra Goroshilova