Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is clear that Russian athletes should not be allowed to participate again in the Paris Olympics in 2024.
Zelenskyy told International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach that he strongly opposes a proposal by the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete in the Paris Games, provided they do not participate in the colors or their country’s flags.
American committee members said on Monday there was “unanimous interest” among delegates at an IOC summit to find a solution that would allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to return to the Games.
– Since February, 184 Ukrainian athletes have died as a result of Russia’s actions. One cannot try to be neutral when the foundations of a peaceful life are destroyed and universal human values are ignored, Zelenskyy said according to AFP.
– The only solution is the complete isolation of the terrorist state on the international scene. This is especially true for international sporting events, he continued.
Russian and Belarusian athletes have been banned from most international sports federations since the invasion of Ukraine in February.
