Poland expects broad coalition to name for Olympics ban on Russian, Belarusian athletes

Poland believes will probably be doable to construct a coalition of some 40 nations, together with the U.S., Britain and Canada, by Feb. 10 supporting the decision to dam Russian and Belarusian athletes from the 2024 Olympics, a Polish minister stated on Thursday.

The Baltic nations and Poland earlier Thursday known as on worldwide sports activities our bodies to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing within the Olympics and different occasions whereas the warfare in Ukraine continues.

“I’m convinced that a meeting that is planned for Feb. 10 will reach a conclusion of over 30 or maybe 40 sports ministers including those from the U.S., UK, Canada, Australia and Japan to decisively reject the idea to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to take part in the Games,” Poland’s Sport and Tourism Minister Kamil Bortniczuk advised Reuters.

“Considering this I don’t think we will face tough decisions before the Olympics and, if we were to boycott the Games, the coalition we will be a part of will be broad enough to make holding the Games pointless.”

The International Olympic Committee introduced final week that athletes from the 2 nations, banned from competing in Europe, is likely to be allowed to earn slots for the Paris 2024 Games by way of Asian qualifying, though the IOC later stated it was standing by sanctions imposed towards Russia and Belarus.

“Any effort by the International Olympic Committee to bring back Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete, even under a neutral flag, should be rejected,” sports activities ministers from Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Poland stated in an announcement on Thursday.

“Efforts to return Russian and Belarusian athletes to international sports competitions under the veil of neutrality legitimize political decisions and widespread propaganda of these countries,” it added.

They known as on “all international sports organizations and federations” to take away Russian and Belarusian athletes from worldwide competitions till the warfare ends.

Strong supporters

The three Baltic states and Poland, members of the European Union and NATO which border Russia and Belarus, have been sturdy supporters of Ukraine and among the many first to ship weapons following Moscow’s invasion virtually a yr in the past.

Russia says it’s defending its personal safety and denies accusations of widespread atrocities in Ukraine.

Latvia joined Kyiv on Wednesday in threatening to boycott the 2024 Olympics and qualifiers if Russian and Belarusian athletes are included whereas the warfare continues in Ukraine.

Athletes from Russia and its neighbour Belarus, which aided Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine a yr in the past, have been banned from many worldwide competitions since.

However final week, the IOC stated the Olympic Council of Asia had provided Russian and Belarusian athletes the prospect to compete in Asia, drawing an outcry from Kyiv which has known as for Russian sportspeople to be banned over Russia’s invasion.

‘Terror is somehow acceptable’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy stated permitting Russia to compete on the 2024 Paris Games can be tantamount to displaying that “terror is somehow acceptable”.

Organisers of subsequent yr’s summer season Olympics in Paris have, nevertheless, insisted they’d abide by the IOC’s determination on Russian and Belarusian participation.

Paris 2024 advised Reuters in an announcement on Wednesday that their fingers have been tied on who might qualify for the Summer Games.

“With regard to the presence of Russian and Belarusian athletes at the Paris 2024 Games, it should be recalled that the qualification system is determined by the international federations, the IOC and the IPC (International Paralympic Committee),” Paris 2024 stated, stressing that the IOC had taken a number of measures towards Russia and Belarus.

Russians have competed as neutrals with no flag or anthem prior to now three Olympics as punishment for state-backed doping.

The Paris Olympics will likely be held from July 26-Aug. 11 subsequent yr and the Paralympics from Aug. 28-Sept. 8.