Olympic champion in speed skating, State Duma Deputy Svetlana Zhurova, commented on the news of the Ministry of Sports of Ukraine. prohibited for their athletes to compete with the Russians.
“I want to protect the Ukrainian athletes. They have no one to turn to. They will not dare to go to anyone to defend their rights. This is terrible.
Hypothetically, I dream, but the IOC has the opportunity to remove a country, that is, to deprive it of its flag when one of the politicians interferes too strongly in the affairs of the Olympic Committee and public institutions. This means that there is an opportunity to bring Ukraine to a neutral position and say to the athletes: now speak for yourself, not for the country. They can offer.
And they may decide to deprive the country of status. The question is whether the IOC will do this, ”says Zhurova “Sport Express”.
Recall that at the end of February 2022, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) made a call to international sports federations and recommended that Russian and Belarusian athletes not be allowed to participate in any competitions.
At a meeting of the IOC executive committee on March 28, it was recommended that the Russians be allowed a neutral status if the athletes did not actively support the hostilities. Athletes representing law enforcement and armed forces will not be allowed to compete.
Former Ukrainian skeletonist Vladislav Geraskevich accused Government in the destruction of sport in the country.