Alexander Karelin, a member of the Federation Council Committee on International Relations, a three-time Olympic champion in Greco-Roman wrestling, explained in a comment to socialbites.ca the conditions under which Russian athletes should compete. The 2024 Summer Olympics are scheduled for Paris.
Karelin asserted that Russian athletes who have earned Olympic licenses and have faced many unacceptable, discriminatory, and biased demands should take part in the Paris Games, provided there are no requirements to renounce citizenship or to compromise the country’s distinguished history, ethical standards, or basic sense. He emphasized that no extra obligations should accompany participation.
He noted that participation should be decided collectively by the Ministry of Sports, the Russian Olympic Committee, and sports federations.
Although Russian athletes faced significant practice losses and opponents worked on equipment and housing issues, Karelin urged licensees to compete and strive to showcase the nation’s best qualities, including a strong will to win.
In late February 2022, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) urged international sports federations to bar Russian and Belarusian athletes from competitions. By December, the IOC allowed Russia and Belarus to participate in the 2024 Olympics with neutral status.
To qualify for the Games, Russian athletes must sign updated participation terms that commit them to uphold the Olympic Charter, including the peaceful mission of the Olympic movement, according to the IOC. Athletes who rank highly in their disciplines will be permitted to compete.
Earlier, the IOC had addressed security concerns related to the leadership of the Bach organization.