State Duma deputy, Olympic champion in speed skating Svetlana Zhurova, commented on the last words of the head of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach, about the admission of Russian athletes to tournaments. He opposed the principle of “collective guilt” of Russian athletes.
“It doesn’t mean anything yet. The flag has not been returned to us, but the conditions will be set so that we still have to miss the Olympics. Judging by the rhetoric, the circumstances could mean the team split into “ours” and “not ours.” How can we share our athletes? This is good neither for the athletes nor for the country. “It won’t bring anything. And they succeed. Let your colleagues break spears and drive Bach crazy. We need to be smarter,” Zhurova quotes “Sports Express”.
On January 25, the IOC announced that it is considering the possibility of allowing Russian athletes who do not support the conduct of a special operation on Ukrainian territory to participate in international competitions with a neutral status. In addition, Western countries demanded clarification for the determination of a neutral status for the Russians.
In early February, 35 countries opposed Russia’s participation in the Paris Olympics during an online meeting.
Formerly Igor Larionov He said that the Russian Ice Hockey Federation should start the process of leaving the IIHF..