Ukraine threatens to boycott the Olympics in Paris

– If we are not heard, I do not rule out a boycott and that we refuse to compete in the Olympics, says Ukraine’s Sports Minister Vadym Goutzeit.

The IOC has opened the door to the Olympics. And on Thursday, Asia threw the door wide open for Russian and Belarusian athletes. The Olympic Council of Asia OCA announced that the Russian and Belarusian athletes are welcome to participate in the Asian Summer Games in China in September-October. In theory, the competitions could serve as qualifiers for the Olympics in Paris in 1924.

– Then there is the question of under which quotas Russian and Belarusian athletes must qualify. I’m not so sure that Asian athletes are so keen on getting rid of parts of their quotas, says Finnish Olympic Committee CEO Taina Susiluoto.

Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskik appealed the other day to the IOC not to admit Russian and Belarusian athletes to the Olympics in Paris.

And the country’s foreign minister did not spare the powder when he expressed himself on Twitter on Thursday.

– The IOC has chosen to ignore Russian war crimes. Arguing that “no athlete should be stopped from competing just because of their passport”, while Ukrainian athletes continue to be killed by Russia just because of their passports. I appeal to everyone in sports to take a stand now,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba wrote on Thursday.

Hundreds of Ukrainian athletes have been forced to take their lives during the Russian bombing of the country. A large part of the sports infrastructure has been bombed to pieces. Under those circumstances, to even think about letting Russia in under the Olympic umbrella feels strange, to say the least.