Olympic champion in the modern pentathlon, David Svoboda, was forced to resign as head of the Czech Olympic Committee’s athletes’ commission because of his support for the Russian return to participate in international competitions. Reported by Inside the Games.
The athlete has previously been criticized at home for supporting the recommendations of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Committee. Recall that on March 28, the organization recommended that Russians and Belarusians be allowed in a neutral status, if the athletes are not actively engaged in supporting hostilities.
Svoboda stated that “philosophically, politics has nothing to do with sports.” He also said that “truth is the first casualty of every military conflict”, noting that Europeans have “too much information, sometimes contradictory”.
After the criticism, the Olympic champion apologized for his statements and announced his resignation.
“My dual role as a professional officer and representative of athletes does not fit, so I have decided to withdraw from the Athletes Commission. I am not a defender of Russia and I am sorry that my clumsy statements may harm the army and the Czech Ministry of Defense, ”said Svoboda.
Former Polish Fencing Federation allowed Russian athletes who condemned SVO to participate in the World Cup stage, which will be held in the city of Poznan.