The National Olympic Committee (NOC) of China on Saturday, January 28, supported the initiative of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on the admission of Russian athletes to international tournaments.
The NOC noted that athletes from all over the world should enjoy equal rights to participate in competitions, and this opportunity should not depend on politics and conflicts. It is noted that China has always adhered to the principle of political neutrality in sports and opposed the politicization of sports.
“[НОК Китая] is ready to create a good platform for the joint protection of all athletes, including qualified Russian and Belarusian athletes, in order to protect Olympic values, ”the message says. statement.
The committee also emphasized that the international sports community must work together for the future, and not create divisions.
Earlier in the day, IOC President Thomas Bach admitted that athletes from Russia and Belarus could participate in the 2024 Olympics under a neutral flag. According to him, the suspension of athletes because of their passports is not in line with the values and mission of the Olympic Charter. Bach also noted that Ukraine wants not only to isolate Russia as a state, but also to completely isolate all Russians.
In turn, the deputy of the Verkhovna Rada, the Olympic champion in Greco-Roman wrestling, Zhan Beleniuk, said that the NOC of Ukraine would discuss the possibility of a boycott of the Olympic Games-2024 if Russian and Belarusian athletes were allowed to return to international sports tournaments before the end of the conflict.
The day before, the IOC advised that the possibility of admitting Russian athletes who do not support a special military operation (SVO) will be considered before the competition in a neutral status.
In response, the press secretary of the President of Russia, Dmitry Peskov, said that even the wording of the initiative turned out to be too much politics, which “should be alien” to the ideas of the Olympic family.
The XXXIII Summer Olympic Games will be held in Paris from July 26 to August 11, 2024.
On February 28, 2022, the International Olympic Committee recommended that international sports federations prevent Russian and Belarusian athletes from participating in international competitions due to the situation around the Russian Federation and Ukraine.
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