Russian President Vladimir Putin said that international sports have become too commercialized and this is a sign of corruption. TASS.
“Sports have become very commercialized. This means that business is highly dependent on business, and business is in turn dependent on various levels of authorities and the political structures of various countries. These are signs of corruption,” Putin said at a meeting of the Council for the Development of Physical Education and Sports.
At the end of February 2022, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) appealed to international sports federations, recommending that domestic and Belarusian athletes should not be allowed to participate in any competitions due to the political situation.
At the meeting of the IOC Executive Committee on March 28, 2023, it was proposed to allow the Russians to remain in neutral status if the athletes are not actively involved in supporting military operations. Athletes representing law enforcement agencies and armed forces will not be allowed to compete.
Putin before instructed 70 percent of Russians are interested in sports.