Maria Zakharova, the official representative of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), shared her opinion that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) warned athletes against discrimination against Israelis. Zakharova’s words are quoted as follows: “Sports Express”.
“If the IOC considers that discrimination against athletes based on nationality is unacceptable, and also strongly protests the collective responsibility of athletes and their punishment for things they did not do, then it is obliged to reinstate Russian athletes to all competitions. Otherwise, this is pure Nazism,” Zakharova said.
The IOC said Israeli athletes could not face discrimination because they were not responsible for the government’s actions.
At the end of February 2022, the IOC issued an appeal to international sports federations, recommending that Russian and Belarusian athletes not be allowed to participate in any competitions due to the situation in Ukraine.
The organization has not set a deadline for lifting the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC). Additionally, no final decision regarding the admission of Russians to the Games has been announced.
Formerly in the State Duma stated After the IOC’s words about Israeli athletes, Russophobia towards Russians came to the fore.