Alexandra Xantaki, the UN Special Rapporteur on cultural rights, spoke on her social networks about the discussion with foreign athletes about the return of Russians to international tournaments.
“Last week I met 188 athletes from all over the world. All speakers agreed that the exclusion of Russian athletes from sports raises important questions. Representatives of all associations of the global South, speaking, said that Russians should be allowed as neutral athletes – without anthem, flag and national symbols, ”Xantaki wrote.
On January 25, the International Olympic Committee (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 in a neutral status. In addition, Western countries demanded clarification to determine the neutral status for the Russians. The IOC promised to discuss the admission of the Russians on March 28.
Recall that the head of the IOC, Thomas Bach, noted that Russian athletes opposed the principle of “collective guilt”, but the organization forbade support for the SVO.
Former Ukrainian fencer Daria Varfolomeeva He announced that the International Fencing Federation has banned political action at the World Cup..
Source: Gazeta
Gregory Robert is a sports aficionado and a writer for “Social Bites”. He provides in-depth coverage of the latest sporting events and trends, offering a unique and knowledgeable perspective on the world of sports.