Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine and President of the NOC of Ukraine Vadym Gutzait commented on the statement of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) regarding the possible admission of Russians and Belarusians to the competitions.
Vadim Gutzeit"The IOC confirmed its sanctions against the governments of the aggressor states, as well as its solidarity with Ukrainian athletes and our Olympic family. However, a discussion also began about the possibility of athletes from all countries, especially those at war, participating in the competition.
The statement of the IOC based on the results of the meeting of the Executive Committee on January 25, 2023 is actually a description of the situation that has developed in the Olympic Movement in connection with the full-scale aggression of the Russian Federation with the help of the Russian Federation, which began during the Olympic armistice. It was recently discussed by a narrow circle of people at the so-called Olympic Summit, where representatives of only three NOCs (the USA, the People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation) were invited.
In the framework of further consultations organized by the IOC, unfortunately, the issue of the admission of Russians and Belarusians was raised by the majority of NOCs. Ukraine and some partner states that took the floor opposed it until the end of the Russian aggression. For the entire Ukrainian sports community, this is a matter of principle. The President of our country and the whole society support us in this.
Some international federations were outraged by the IOC's efforts to promote the return of Russians and Belarusians. Their leaders ignored the invitation to the Olympic summit and stated their position at the relevant IOC consultations.
Such a situation is also unacceptable for our state. We have contacted and will continue to contact all international organizations that can influence the situation and whose opinion IOC members can listen to.
Our position remains unchanged: as long as the war continues in Ukraine, Russian and Belarusian athletes should not be at international competitions.
Undoubtedly, our national sports federations need to strengthen communication with international federations so that the ban remains in force. An example is the National Committee of Disabled Sports of Ukraine, which, together with its partners, managed to suspend the membership of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus in the International Paralympic Committee.
Without the consent of the IPC, the IOC is unlikely to be able to make any decisions on this matter. In addition, the sanctions of the World Anti-Doping Agency against Russian athletes remain in force.
Work is currently underway on further possible steps and priority measures to extend the sanctions and prevent Russians and Belarusians from participating in international competitions.
If we are not heard, I do not rule out the possibility that we will boycott and refuse to participate in the Olympics," Gutzeit wrote on his Facebook page.
