With serious allegations, Ukraine is continuing to put pressure on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) not to allow Russia and Belarus to compete in international competitions because of the war.
“The IOC is a promoter of war, murder and destruction. The IOC joyfully watches the Russian Federation destroy and then offers it a platform to promote genocide and encourages it to continue killing,” wrote Mykhailo Podoliak, Advisor in the Ukrainian presidential office, on the short message service Twitter. “Obviously, Russian money buying Olympic hypocrisy doesn’t have the smell of Ukrainian blood. Right, Herr Bach?”
A little later, an IOC spokesman “strongly rejected these and other defamatory statements”. They could “not serve as a basis for a constructive discussion,” it said: “Therefore, the IOC will not comment further.”
There were also sharp words from former boxing world champion Wladimir Klitschko, who addressed IOC President Thomas Bach directly. “Today the Russians have the gold medal for war crimes, deportation of children and rape of women,” Klitschko wrote on Twitter: “You cannot give your Olympic emblem for these crimes.” Bach is making himself the “accomplice” of the Russians, the 46-year-old added.
IOC boss Bach recently defended the re-admission of athletes to international competitions against harsh criticism from Ukraine. “These considerations are supported – worldwide, by a huge majority,” Bach told ZDF on Saturday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on the other hand, had called on the IOC and Bach several times over the weekend to continue banning athletes from Russia and Belarus. Ukraine sees both countries as warring parties. “Russia must stop aggression and terror, and only then will it be possible to talk about Russia’s participation in the context of the Olympic movement,” said Zelenskyy.
The National Olympic Committee of Ukraine is planning an extraordinary general assembly for February 3 to decide on a possible Olympic boycott should the athletes from Russia and Belarus compete again.
