Vladimir Osipov – on the official position on participation in the Olympics
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The International Olympic Committee considered statements from Russia about IOC head Thomas Bach aggressive. According to the committee’s communications director, Mark Adams, some of the language is completely unacceptable. As an example, he cited the nationality of President Bach, a native of Germany, and the Holocaust. The commentary has reached a new low, Adams noted. This week, the IOC determined under what conditions Russian athletes will be able to take part in the Olympics in Paris in the summer of 2024. They will not be invited to the opening ceremony of the Games, they will compete under a neutral flag, and a neutral anthem will be played in honor of their victory. A maximum of 55 athletes have the opportunity to qualify for the competition. There has not yet been a clear official reaction from senior Russian sports officials, notes Kommersant FM sports commentator Vladimir Osipov and calls on functionaries to quickly decide on their position.
The only thing you can hear from our officials after the IOC Executive Committee is condemnation. Well, we share the anger that falls on the heads of the helmsmen of the Olympic movement, but then what? Minister of Sports Oleg Matytsin assures everyone: “We must preserve the possibility of dialogue and compete as much as possible.”
At the same time, some federal media are already putting a certain stigma on those athletes who are going to Paris. Here, for example, is what Gevorg Mirzayan, associate professor at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, says on this topic in the “There is a topic” program on “Match TV”:
“If you agree to sell your homeland, you have the right to betray, like any other person. Just then don’t be offended that you will be treated inside the country as traitors, as a team of homeless people who went to compete under the blue flag.”
Such statements are not uncommon now. Moreover, after the IOC announced that in order to participate in the Olympics, Russian athletes will not need to sign a declaration condemning hostilities, presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov speaks positively:
“As for participation, we paid attention to the statement of one of the IOC representatives that there will not be any requirements or the need to sign additional papers and so on. This is rather positive information. And then we will continue to watch.”
It turns out that the country’s leadership as a whole is in favor of our athletes going to the Olympics in a neutral status. Or not? The wording is vague, nothing concrete. Even the recommendation system, which the IOC so actively uses, is for some reason not used. For example, officials did not recommend that athletes from other countries come to tournaments in Russia, especially the World Friendship Games. They can’t seem to ban it, but at the same time they don’t recommend it in such a tone that it’s clear: it won’t be good for those who want to go to our country.
But no one recommends anything to Russian athletes. Moreover, recently the head of the Olympic Committee Stanislav Pozdnyakov said that neutral athletes are not his problem at all. Although the issue of the safety of our athletes in Paris is by no means idle, two-time Olympic champion Dmitry Vasiliev is sure:
“No one guarantees the safety of our athletes. It is enough that they are Russian citizens. This will be a license not for murder, of course, but for lawlessness.”
Perhaps many people think that too few athletes will go to the games in Paris. But it depends on how you look. The IOC will be assured that the maximum quota from our country is 55 people. If you count the Olympic licenses right now, then judoists have 10, wrestlers and cyclists have four each, not to mention 13 representatives of tennis.
They certainly do not intend to give up their life’s work, and if they do not now offer some recommendations and voice the official position of the authorities on this issue, open accusations of betrayal of those who are going to represent the country, no matter what, will continue.
Everything is clear with us – Telegram channel “Kommersant FM”.
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