State Duma deputy Svetlana Zhurova, a former Olympic speed skater, pressed Sebastian Coe, the president of World Athletics, to return the medals he won at the 1980 Moscow Games. Zhurova argued that Coe has repeatedly signaled hostility toward Russia, and she framed the request as a moral gesture from the leader of the sport’s global governing body, as reported by World Athletics. She emphasized the symbolic weight of Moscow 1980 and suggested that such a move would be read as a statement about the conduct of sport leadership rather than a simple act of restitution.
Zhurova claimed Coe’s persistent stance against allowing Russian athletes to compete could backfire politically, with little chance that it would win him extra support in IOC elections. She warned that many would interpret his position as driven by anti-Russian sentiment rather than a concern for athletic integrity. The remarks fit into a wider debate about how sanctions and moral postures by sport officials affect governance and diplomacy, a topic frequently examined by World Athletics in recent coverage.
On October 28, Coe met with Olga Saladukha, head of Ukraine’s subcommittee on elite sports, and reiterated that Russian athletes would not be permitted to participate, even under a neutral status. The pledge came amid continuing friction over eligibility rules and the future participation of Russian competitors in major events. World Athletics has repeatedly weighed neutral participation standards and the ongoing fight to preserve clean sport, according to World Athletics reports.
Coe has led World Athletics since 2015. During his tenure the All-Russian Athletics Federation was suspended until 2023 over doping-related issues, a sanction that underscored the international sports community’s vigilance regarding violations and the consequences for national bodies seeking reinstatement. Those developments illustrate how the global federation links governance, ethics, and competition, as outlined in World Athletics statements.
In Moscow in 1980, Coe secured Olympic gold in the 1500 meters and took silver in the 800 meters, performances that cemented his reputation as one of the era’s premier middle-distance runners. The achievements contributed to a lasting legacy for British athletics and helped shape the sport’s narrative on the world stage, a context preserved in Olympic records.
Earlier Irina Viner, the influential Russian coach and sports official, voiced support for the idea of a Russian candidate leading the IOC. Her remarks reflected a broader aim within Russian sport to influence Olympic leadership and governance, a theme that often surfaces when national federations seek greater voice in global sport, as reported in World Athletics coverage.
Together, the exchanges surrounding Zhurova, Coe, Saladukha, and Viner reveal a tense intersection of sport and politics. The question of participation, neutrality, and the memory of Moscow 1980 continues to fuel debates about how international bodies manage eligibility and sanctions, and what this means for athletes, federations, and fans around the world. The story underscores that athletics remains inseparable from broader geopolitical currents, even at the level of leadership and policy, as World Athletics notes.