Olympic champion in speed skating Svetlana Zhurova on the air of the program “There is a theme!” on Match TV called it a strange attempt by Great Britain to put pressure on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) through sponsors.
Earlier, The Guardian newspaper reported that the UK government had sent a letter to the sponsors of the Olympic Games, urging them to put pressure on the IOC to prevent Russian and Belarusian athletes from participating in the 2024 Games in Paris, even under neutral status.
Later, the IOC urged the UK government to respect the independence of sport, according to the IOC, the intervention of the authorities will lead to the end of world sport in the form in which it exists today.
– It is possible that countries will participate in the Olympics without a flag or nationality. This will happen when the IOC freaks out and says let’s follow the Olympic Charter. This attempt to put pressure on sponsors is generally strange, since they also need full representation at the competition. They need representatives from all over the world to win. It is useless to put pressure on the IOC like that.
At the same time, the IOC says that there is no solution yet, they have not yet offered anything to the Russians. There is no neutral status, no conditions, no official decision. Why boycott? What are you all discussing, something like this Bach says.
– Fencing – the first sign on the way back to Russia?
– 46 voted against Russia, 89 – for. These 46 now, apparently, will start boycotts. They are capable of wreaking havoc. In the same fencing, boycotts against fights with Russians and Belarusians may begin. This is the collapse of the sport. Let it reach its maximum so that everyone understands that something needs to be done about it.
It is necessary to stop this bacchanalia, and the IOC will have to do it. After all, tennis was the first sign, perhaps others will now follow. I know that we are negotiating with the International Skating Union. They say that they don’t quarrel with us, they offer not to go far, but so far they are not allowed to compete,” Zhurova said on Match TV.
The IOC has previously announced that it will consider the possibility of allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in the world competitions in a neutral status, who did not actively support the CBO. The head of the IOC, Thomas Bach, admitted that the Russians could compete at the Olympics in Paris without national symbols.