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PACE holds a public hearing on IOC’s decision on Russian and Belarus athletes

#StandWithUkraine

April 25,2023 590

As the International Olympic Committee (IOC) weighs whether to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to take part in the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) organized a public hearing on the subject held in Strasbourg on Tuesday, PACE reported.

The event brought together a number of ministers, top officials from international sporting bodies, athletes, human rights experts and parliamentarians, representing all sides of the debate. It allowed PACE members to discuss with them the issues at stake.

“The Assembly noted that the International Olympic Committee and the sports movement as a whole are changing the position they have held since February 24 last year and now favor the idea of allowing some Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in international competitions while other states continue to object to this strongly,” said PACE President Tiny Kox in his opening remarks, according to a story by Radio Svoboda written in Ukrainian.

Kox pointed out that the power of sports should not be underestimated, and the admission of Russians and Belarusians to the Paris 2024 Olympics “contradicts the mission of the Olympic movement to promote peace, serving instead the propaganda goals of the aggressor.”

Earlier, over 35 countries signed a statement on international support for Ukraine and called for barring citizens of Russia and Belarus from competitions as “neutral” persons.

Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, the 2024 Games host city, also joined the call. She has repeatedly stated that Russian and Belarusian athletes will not be welcomed in Paris “as long as the bombs continue to fall on Ukraine.”

Serbian MP Stefan Jovanović was given a round of applause when he said that if the IOC continues to insist that “sport is beyond politics,” it should keep in mind the boycotts of the Olympics in 1980 and 1984 and prepare for a new boycott as early as 2024.

IOC representatives at the hearings responded to all the statements of PACE members that sports should not be politicized and athletes should be given the opportunity to perform regardless of their citizenship.

Renata Roman, UWC World Sport Committee Chair

Ukrainians and the 20 million-strong Ukrainian worldwide diaspora are looking to PACE for leadership and decisive action with regards to banning the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Forty European countries have signed on.

Today, when a country willingly attacks and murders innocent people and infrastructure with no reason or provocation, does it deserve to be in the same arena as peaceful countries and their athletes? To march in the same parade, to pledge the same oath? The Olympic Oath – “We promise to take part in these Olympic Games, respecting and abiding by the rules and in the spirit of fair play, inclusion and equality.”

There must be some holding to account for actions – be it individuals or a government.

The Olympics is about fair play, and there is no fair play between a neighboring country that pillages and destroys another country – not just its present but also its history and future. Do Ukrainian athletes have equality when family members, coaches or team members are murdered or their training facilities have been bombed?

Certain things can’t be unseen or undone – consequences of war need to be addressed. This is a time to stand up and be on the right side of history.

Together with the Ukrainian World Congress, representatives of the Ukrainian government, and protest groups worldwide, this initiative is part of a worldwide campaign to pressure the International Olympic Committee to halt steps to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as “neutral” participants.

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