Ukraine debates possibility of boycotting Paris Olympics

THE Ukraine Olympic Committee will meet this Friday to consult the country’s sports federations on a possible boycott of the Paris Olympics, if Russian and Belarusian athletes are allowed to participate, even with a neutral flag.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) indicated that athletes from Russia and Belarus could participate in international competitions, without defending their respective nations, as long as they did not “actively support” the invasion of Ukraine.

The Ukrainian Olympic committee released today a letter from the organization’s president, Vadym Guttsait, addressed to IOC president, Thomas Bach.

In the text, the leader points out that the Russian and Belarusian committees are fully controlled by the respective governments, “while many athletes serve the armies, which are responsible for the deaths of hundreds of peaceful people in Ukraine, including members of the Olympic family”.

Gutsait also stated that many top Russian athletes openly defend the government’s actions in Ukraine.

The president of the Ukrainian Olympic committee demanded that athletes from Russia and Belarus be prevented from participating in any international competition, while Moscow troops promote “the genocide of the Ukrainians”.

Ukrainian personalities criticize IOC

Although there is no formal decision on participation in the Olympic Games, many sports figures in Ukraine have already expressed disappointment with the IOC’s position.

Former footballer Andriy Shevchenko said today that the multi-sport event is a chance to deliver a message to global audiences.

If athletes from Russia and Belarus are allowed to participate, the former AC Milan striker wrote on Facebook, the IOC’s message to the whole world would be that “the war is over, everything can be forgiven and forgotten”.

Former tennis player Sergiy Stakhovskyi, who is currently serving in the Ukrainian army, has repeatedly pointed out that Russian athletes could use their popularity to spread the truth about the country’s actions in Ukraine, helping to stop the invasion.

The idea of ​​staying out of the Games, however, finds resistance in Ukraine, as indicated by Olympic medalists Zhan Beleniuk and Olga Saladukha, currently members of the national Parliament, who published an official joint note.

“It would show weakness and cede the international sporting scene to murderers, terrorists and rapists,” said the former athletes.