Ukraine outraged by IOC presidential candidate's view on Russian athletes

Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Youth and Sports have expressed outrage at comments made by Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr., Vice President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and a candidate for the presidency, regarding Russia’s possible return to the international sporting community.

Source: Andrii Sybiha, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, and Matvii Bidnyi, Minister of Youth and Sports, in a statement which is at the disposal of Ukrainska Pravda 

Quote:  "The IOC Vice President has demonstrated disdain not only for Ukraine, but also for the fundamental principles of the Olympic Charter, in stating the need to work ‘very hard’ to immediately reinstate Russia's membership of the International Olympic Committee as soon as it complies with the Charter, justifying his words with the fact that the IOC should supposedly not ‘take sides’ in conflicts and Russian aggression is only one of ‘forty-odd’ armed conflicts in the world."

Details: The ministers feel such comments demonstrate either a lack of understanding of Russian aggression on the part of the IOC vice president, or a willingness to make excuses for the aggressor which is incompatible with his objective of becoming the IOC president.

They reminded Samaranch that an IOC president must uphold "the principles of peace, justice, and respect for international law".

Sybiha and Bidnyi emphasised that Russian sporting authorities continue to employ harsh rhetoric and to demonstrate Russia's total unwillingness to uphold the norms of peace and respect. Sport in the Russian Federation is a continuation of state policy and is used by the Russian authorities to spread war propaganda and hybrid influence.

Quote from the statement: "Proposals for the possible return of Russian athletes to the international sporting community are outrageous and categorically unacceptable."

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