Federation Council Member Vadim Dengin, a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, responded to the Asian Olympic Association’s offer to recruit Russia to return domestic athletes to the international arena.
“We were on a business trip recently in an Asian country, Thailand. And there Thai representatives very well received our athletes at competitions and all kinds of interactions in the field of sports and culture. In these competitions held in America and Europe, the world did not come together like a wedge. There’s enough, maybe even more competitive in China, Indonesia, the Philippines or elsewhere. We need to reach new horizons and contribute actively to it,” Dengin said in a comment for socialbites.ca.
“But you should never tear down bridges and set up a competent policy. We are not in conflict, they are in conflict with us. They spit in our faces, but that doesn’t mean we have to wipe ourselves. We must show our firm stance and be constructive. Because Russia has always been kind. We have always tolerated everyone, we have always dragged everyone, we have always paid everyone’s debt, etc. We will try to participate and I am sure our athletes will show better results than athletes in Europe and America.”
Former Minister of Sports of the Russian Federation Oleg Matytsin commented Suzanne Lyons, head of the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), made a statement that considers it necessary to allow Russian athletes to participate in the 2024 Olympic Games to be held in Paris without a flag or anthem due to the sanctions against Russia.