USPOC seeks clarity from Russian athletes over “neutrality” for participating in Paris Olympics 2024
USPOC seeks answers on the status of Russian athletes to participate in the Paris Olympics 2024.
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Credits: Reuters
As the question of Russian and Belarusian athletes participating in the Olympics 2024 still lingers, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USPOC) has sought an answer from the participating Russian athletes to clear their stance of neutrality for the upcoming athletes.
Russia and Belarus have been condemned internationally for their roles in invading Ukraine in 2022. The invasion has still not stopped, and Russia and Ukraine are still in state of war after one year past the invasion.
Ukraine has spearheaded the campaign to ban Russia from every international platform, including the Olympics. However, the latest meeting of the USPOC chaired by the committee president, Gene Sykes, has also considered the case of Russian athletes. As much as the committee stands with the Ukrainian cause, they would also like to hear the stance of Russian athletes as well.
USPOC President ready to hear the case of Russian athletes to participate in the Olympics 2024
In the meeting held this Thursday on the Russian athletes’ case, Sykes addressed Russian neutrality in front of the USPOC committee members. He says, “The one topic I want to address directly is the question of Russian athletes in international sports and potentially in the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris. Although the conversation has shifted over time, our position has not. Above all else, we stand in solidarity with the people and athletes of Ukraine.”
The USPOC is particularly concerned about the IOC’s criteria for determining neutral athletes to participate in the game. Until then, he believes that the sanctions should be upheld. He adds, “We encourage the IOC to continue exploring the process that would preserve the existing sanctions, ensuring only truly neutral athletes who are clean are welcome to compete.”
While a coalition of European countries and Ukraine vehemently stand against Russia’s participation in the Olympics, the United States has been of the opinion to allow Russian athletes to participate or present their case for this issue. Sykes’ main question is, “What will neutrality mean; what will the conditions for neutrality be?”
In this regard, the USPOC has been receiving multiple feedback and opinions from several sports bodies and athletes on how the prestigious sports event in Paris is a stage for some of the best athletes to get a world stage for their performance.
Sykes says, “We’ve listened to and continue to gather feedback from athletes, sports and other constituents around the United States. Many have told us they desire to compete against all the world’s best athletes, but only if that can happen in a way that ensures safe and fair play. There is a very real concern and even scepticism about whether that condition can be met.”
On the other hand, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been in a constant push within the international community to ban Russians from virtually every platform possible. With regards to the ban on Olympics participation, Zelensky had consulted with the French President Emmanuel Macron and both France and Ukraine stand unilateral in their stand against Russia.
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Siddid Dey Purkayastha
(528 Articles Published)