The IOC criticized the position of European countries on the admission of Russian athletes

The International Olympic Committee criticized the position of EU countries opposing the admission of Russian athletes to international competitions. In the statement of the IOC, European countries are accused of “double standards” and the demand for interference in the affairs of sports federations.

Earlier, the IOC recommended that Russian and Belarusian athletes in single events be admitted to international competitions in neutral status. A number of EU countries have declared that they oppose such a decision. Several sports competitions were canceled due to the possible participation of Russian athletes.

The government of the Czech Republic banned Russian athletes from participating in tournaments on its territory, athletes at competitions in Poland faced visa problems, the Baltic countries do not issue visas to Russians. The head of the German Ministry of Internal Affairs threatened the Russians with a visa ban.

The IOC statement says that the committee “is saddened to see that some governments do not want to respect the majority in the Olympic movement or the autonomy of sports, which they demand from other countries” and “praise in countless articles and resolutions of the UN and the European Union.”

“We have not seen a single comment from them about their attitude to the admission of athletes whose countries are involved in the other 70 wars, armed conflicts and crises in the world,” says the IOC statement. Earlier, the organization made it clear that it did not see any fundamental differences between the second war and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

European countries criticizing the position of the IOC are accused of “gross disregard for the statement of the two special rapporteurs of the UN Human Rights Council.”

“All interested parties once again made it very clear: governments cannot decide which athlete has the right to participate in competitions. This would be the end of international sports as we know it,” the IOC statement said.

• On July 13, it became known that Russia and Belarus will not receive an invitation to the Olympic Games in Paris in due time. On July 14, the Kremlin criticized this decision.