Polish Sports and Tourism Minister Kamil Bortnichuk said his country is ready to blackmail the International Olympic Committee (IOC) by boycotting the 2024 Olympics if Russian and Belarusian athletes participate in the Games. Transmits words DEA News.
“The boycott is the strongest card we have. We, as Poles, say that we should potentially be prepared to use this argument, to consider such a scenario, we can no longer exclude it, but only in a situation where all other moves, attempts at negotiation, proposals for compromise will not meet. The understanding of the IOC,” Bortnichuk said.
On January 25, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that it was considering the possibility of allowing Russian athletes who did not support a special operation in Ukraine to participate in international competitions with neutral status.
Lithuanian Minister of Education, Science and Sports Jurgita Shyugzhdinene said earlier in an online meeting that 35 countries oppose Russia and Belarus’ participation in the 2024 Olympics. These included the USA, Germany and Australia.
Jiri Keival, former president of the Czech Olympic Committee reportedHe said the organization will create an expert group that will collect documents to prevent athletes from Russia and Belarus from participating in the 2024 Olympics.