While voices are rising to demand the exclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Guy Drut considers “like many IOC members”, that athletes should not “suffer from the idiocies of their political leaders “.
“There is no reason to deprive Russian and Belarusian athletes of their participation in an international sporting event, especially when it comes to the Olympics”said Sunday in the Club info of franceinfo Guy Drut, member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), while voices are raised to demand the exclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes from the Olympic Games in Paris 2024.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky notably estimated that the presence of Russian athletes at the Paris 2024 Olympics would be “a sign of violence and impunity”.
“I consider, like many members of the IOC, that athletes should not suffer from the stupidities of their political leaders, and that politics should not intervene in the participation of athletes.”
He assures that he is not “not the only one” within the IOC at “think that”. “Athletes’ participation should in no way be a consequence of what is happening politically.” “We will see at the beginning of 2024”still tempers the former champion. “But for 2023, I see no reason for Russian and Belarusian athletes” be “deprived of participation”. He recalls that these athletes “have been preparing for years” and that for some “it will be the only possibility to participate in this kind of demonstrations. It may not happen again”.
Thursday, Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, visiting kyiv on Thursday, spoke out against the participation of Russian athletes “as long as Russia continues to wage war on Ukraine”. She had previously forbidden their coming “under a neutral banner”in order not “deprive athletes of their competition”. For his part, Emmanuel Macron also indicated on Thursday that he had “speak” with the Ukrainian President of a possible exclusion of Russian athletes from the Games, specifying that he would personally decide “in the summer”.
“It is the IOC who will decide”
“What Emmanuel Macron thinks and what Anne Hidalgo thinks is their problem”believes Guy Drut. “It will be the IOC” who will decide “by the voice of its President, after having consulted all the members of the IOC and the presidents of international federations”. The former Minister of Sports recognizes that the opinion of France counts, but he wishes to emphasize that “France organizes the Olympic Games on behalf of the IOC”. “It’s still the IOC who remains the boss of the organization and participation.”
While Ukraine has accused the IOC of being a “war promoter” in Ukraine, Guy Drut replies: “We are not promoters of war, we get the athletes out of it.” He also recalls that “the United States and the UN are the ones for the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes”. “You have to be able to think calmly”adds the IOC member.
