IOC’s ban on Russia is incomparable to the situation in Israel.
By Karolos Grohmann
10:47 AM UTC – November 3, 2023
BERLIN (Reuters) – Russia’s attempt to compare the country’s Olympic Committee suspension with the situation of Israeli athletes following the start of the conflict between Israel and Hamas was out of place, the International Olympic Committee said on Friday.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Thursday said the IOC was aligning itself with western political decisions after the Olympic body had said any discrimination against athletes at the Games would be swiftly dealt with because they are not responsible for the decisions of their governments.
The IOC had been responding to a question regarding Israeli athletes participating at next year’s Paris Olympics and the potential refusal of other nations’ athletes to compete against them over the ongoing conflict.
Lavrov called the IOC statement “shameful”, saying it “proves its political bias”.
“This (Russian) is a unique situation and cannot be compared to any other war or conflict in the world, because the measures taken and recommendations made by the IOC are a consequence of the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian army during the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Beijing 2022,” an IOC spokesperson said.
The IOC did not ban the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) until last month after it recognised regional organisations from four territories annexed from Ukraine.
The IOC said on Oct. 12 the ROC would be banned with immediate effect after it recognised Olympic Councils from the regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
“This constitutes a breach of the Olympic Charter because it violates the territorial integrity of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine, as recognised by the IOC in accordance with the Olympic Charter,” the IOC spokesperson said.
Lavrov on Thursday said the IOC was just kowtowing to western powers when it said discriminatory behaviour would be punished at the Olympics.
“This, of course, is outrageous,” Lavrov said. “Once again we see an example of the bias and failure of the International Olympic Committee, which time after time proves its political bias.”
“Everything that is responsible interests of Western countries, primarily the United States, it actively supports and tries to find formulations that will generally approve of this line,” he said. “Shameful and of course, the IOC greatly discredited itself.”
A decision on whether Russian athletes will be allowed to take part in the Paris Olympics as neutrals without a flag or anthem has yet to be taken but the IOC has repeatedly said it would not punish athletes for government decisions.
Reporting by Karolos Grohmann, Additional reporting by Gabrielle Tetrault-Farber, editing by Ed Osmond
In the News
-
The Black Lives Matter Movement
In the summer of 2020, the Black Lives Matter movement garnered national attention.
-
House GOP Leadership Priorities
House GOP leadership outlines agenda priorities with a new speaker at the helm.
-
Ohio Voters and Abortion Access
Ohio voters cast their ballots here the results could change state-wide abortion access.
-
Free Palestine March in D.C.
Thousands of people are expected to attend a Free Palestine march in D.C. on Saturday, Nov 4th.
-
PayPal’s Market Value Surge
PayPal added nearly $4 billion to its market value after a pledge to turn “leaner” fired up investors.
-
China’s Social Media Regulation
China’s most popular social media platforms announced that ”self-media” accounts with more than 500,000 followers will be asked to display real-name information.
-
Intel’s Rise in Chip Stocks
Intel rose more than 9% on Friday and sparked a jump in chip stocks after the personal computer market was rebounding from its quarters-long slump.
-
Amazon’s AI Market Ambitions
Amazon.com rose 7% on Friday as it aims for a larger share of the booming artificial intelligence market in a race with Microsoft.
Why does the IOC believe that the situation in Russia is unique and cannot be compared to any other war or conflict in the world?
Letes will be allowed to participate in the Paris Olympics is yet to be made, but the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has already responded to Russia’s attempt to compare their suspension to the situation of Israeli athletes amidst the conflict with Hamas. In a statement, the IOC said that such a comparison was out of place.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused the IOC of aligning itself with western political decisions after the Olympic body emphasized that any discrimination against athletes at the Games would be swiftly dealt with because they are not responsible for the decisions of their governments.
The IOC’s response came in light of a question regarding Israeli athletes participating in the Paris Olympics and the possible refusal of other nations’ athletes to compete against them due to the ongoing conflict. Lavrov referred to the IOC’s statement as “shameful” and claimed that it demonstrated the organization’s political bias.
However, the IOC clarified that the situation in Russia is unique and cannot be compared to any other war or conflict in the world. The measures taken and recommendations made by the IOC are a consequence of the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian army during the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. The IOC spokesperson emphasized that the decision to ban the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) was made because it recognized regional organizations from four territories annexed from Ukraine.
The ban on the ROC was announced by the IOC on October 12, with immediate effect. This action was deemed a breach of the Olympic Charter as it violated the territorial integrity of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine, as recognized by the IOC.
Lavrov criticized the IOC for what he saw as kowtowing to western powers and accused the organization of displaying biased and failed decision-making. He stated that the IOC actively supports the interests of Western countries, particularly the United States, and discredited itself with its actions.
The decision on whether Russian athletes will be allowed to participate in the Paris Olympics is still pending. The IOC has faced criticism from multiple parties, but it stands by its stance of condemning discrimination against athletes and maintaining the integrity of the Olympic Games.
In conclusion, the IOC firmly rejected the comparison made by Russia between their suspension and the situation faced by Israeli athletes. The IOC maintains that their decision is in response to the violation of the Olympic Charter by the ROC. The debate regarding Russia’s participation in the upcoming Olympics continues, and the ultimate decision will have significant implications for both the sporting event and the geopolitical landscape.
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
