Olympics 2024: IOC plan for Russian & Belarusian athletes criticised by UK Government
BBC NewsJan 26, 2023
On Thursday, Ukraine's sports minister and president of the country's National Olympic Committee, Vadim Guttsait, warned that if the International Olympic Committee (IOC) allows Russia and Belarus to compete in the 2024 Paris games, Ukraine may decide to boycott them.
Belarus has a close relationship with Russia, which is why many suspect its government played a role in the war in Ukraine.
Russian athletes should have no place at the Paris Olympic Games, as allowing them to participate would legitimize Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin's illegal and unjustified war in Ukraine. The IOC's position is a world away from the reality of the war being felt by the Ukrainian people. Now is the time to work with like-minded countries to ensure that solidarity continues on this issue.
The Olympic Games — meant to unite instead of divide — aren't about politics, and nor should they be. Punishing individual athletes for decisions taken by the leaders of their countries is not only unfair but also sets a dangerous precedent. The IOC, a strictly politically neutral organization, is on the right path.
There's a 75% chance that the US will top the Olympic Medal Table at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, according to the Metaculus Prediction Community.