Athletics | Russia invited Finnish athletes to its games, where there are handsome cash prizes – “They want to cause controversy”

of Paris excluded from the Olympics, Russia will organize its own alternative sports competitions in September and has sent invitations to European countries for the games. For example, the Finnish and Swedish athletics federations have received an invitation to the World Friendship Games in Yekaterinburg at the beginning of March.

CEO of SUL Harry Aalto does not know if the invitation is sent in earnest.

“Of course, we have not responded to the invitation. Perhaps the intent of the invitation is to cause polemics and discussion in Western countries and elsewhere. You shouldn't react to that,” says Aalto.

The same a researcher of Soviet and Russian propaganda also agrees with the propaganda purpose of the invitation Reeta E. Kangas.

“I see that organizing the games has both an internal and external propaganda purpose, as does sending invitations,” says Kangas.

According to Kanka, the games marketed as World Friendship Games also have a historical connection to previous games. In the summer, it will be 40 years since the Games, which were organized as a counterweight to the Los Angeles Olympics.

“The propaganda aspect also comes into play when even years have passed since those games and the friendly games are organized after the Paris Olympics. The friendly matches are tied to the great matches of the country's past.”

The opening ceremony of the friendly games will be organized as in 1984 at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. According to Kankaa, the propaganda message is strengthened by a historical connection.

How well is the goal of propaganda realized when the invitations are reported?

“One of the value of propaganda is visibility, when invitations are sent, the recipients wonder about them and the games are written about. They also want to shape their reputation.”

“I think that, in the spirit of propaganda, they want to invite the countries that have been blocking Russia from the Olympics. They show a certain kind of kindness by inviting those who have not invited them. They want to show that they have removed politics from their own games, which of course is not true, because it is a terribly politicized event.”

SUL's Harri Aalto thinks that invitations have been sent out on a large scale.

“This is the politics of the game, when Russians and Belarusians do not get to participate in the games on our side. They obviously want to build their own system.”

“We have had a clear line for a long time. Since 2016, Russia has been absent from the World Association of Athletics Federations (WA). Only individual athletes have participated from them. After the war of aggression in Russia, they haven't been at the WA games either.”

Aalto can't begin to guess how many people will take Russia's hook.

“I believe that unity in athletics will be preserved.”

Russia attracts athletes with prizes of tens of thousands of euros for medal positions.

“All such temptations should be ignored. I doubt that we would even have to think about what the sanctions would be for a Finnish athlete who would go to the games organized by Russia,” says Aalto.

President of the Swedish Athletics Federation Johan Storåkers comment for SVT Invitation received by the Swedish Athletics Federation.

“We cannot accept that sport is used for PR and propaganda purposes under Putin's leadership. It's disgusting,” Storåkers said.

The board of the Swedish Athletics Federation has decided to sanction athletes who would go to the games organized by Russia.