The WAR in Ukraine, i.e. the “Special Military Operation” as Russia calls it, once again brought sports to the fore. Because, although the latest news on the subject of “sports sanctions against the Russians” is not at all naive when it comes to the mentioned country, the latest events related to Russian athletes – are somewhat surprising. And, they concern – Ukrainians.
Photo: Pixabay
While a good part of the world is following what is happening at the beginning of the third year of this conflict (you can follow the latest news from Ukraine live on a special page of the portal “Novosti” – click HERE), everything is more interesting events in sports circles far from the front lines.
So now Ukraine has decided to make an unusual move, after it definitely became clear that Russians (and Belarusians) can participate in the Paris Games, but with rigorous conditions.
Although hardly any Russian athlete can participate in the Olympic Games “Paris 2024”, precisely because of the aforementioned conditions (as well as two-year collective suspensions, due to which many competitors could not even participate in the qualification processes), the Olympic Committee of Ukraine adopted special “guidelines” for the behavior of Ukrainian athletes – if they meet their Russian colleagues in Paris.
Radical measures imposed on Ukrainians participating in the Games include the following:
– Do not take photos together with Russians (Russian athletes) under any circumstances.
– Do not shake hands with Russians (Russian athletes) at the competitions themselves (and outside them)
– Not to give joint interviews with them (Russian athletes)
Practically, the Ukrainians will boycott the presence of the Russians at every Olympic step, and if they really have to compete against them, it will be without shaking hands and taking photos.
The practice of such “performances” has already started, so recently at the WTA tennis tournament on American soil, in San Diego, the Ukrainian Diana Jastremska refused to even stand near the Russian Anna Blinkova when it was her turn to take a joint photo with the judge.
These radical moves by the Ukrainian umbrella sports organization did not happen, simply, because “the war is still going on”, but because the Olympic Committee of Ukraine is furious that the Russians were even allowed to participate in the Games in Paris, considering it “support for Russia”.
During that time, the sentence “They call these conditions support for the Russians?!” echoes in the Russian public, while they are referring to the following regulation of the IOC related to the participation of athletes from the Russian Federation in this year’s Games:
- Russian athletes who have qualified in their respective sports are allowed to participate in the Paris 2024 Games, but in neutral status. So, without equipment that says Russia. The equipment will not be in the colors of the Russian flag, but turquoise, and will not contain a coat of arms, a flag, nor will the anthem of the Russian Federation be sung anywhere during the competition;
- Competitors are allowed to participate only in individual sports, teams are prohibited from entering;
- The national symbols of the Russian Federation are prohibited not only at competitions, but also at all other locations related to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, including the Olympic Village, but also the stands;
- Athletes from Russia are required to sign a document that states the conditions for participation, and it states that they respect the Olympic Charter, including the “peaceful mission of the Olympic movement”.
- Athletes who support the current events in Ukraine or have connections with the military structures of Russia will not be allowed to attend the Paris Games;
- Russians who want to attend the Games are prohibited from participating in any activity related to the flag, anthem and national symbols. This means that they cannot compete in the national championships, because there are displayed flags and national symbols.
On top of all that, the International Olympic Committee recently made a decision that, even if a Russian athlete fulfills all these conditions, i.e. agrees to the mentioned ultimatums, he may still not get the “green light” to perform in Paris, because who of A special “eligibility” commission will decide which Russians can and who cannot participate in the Olympic Games.
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