“The world reaction was different”: how the IOC president explained the suspension of Russian athletes

IOC President Thomas Bach said that the exclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes from international competitions is due to concern for their safety and a possible reaction to their participation.

“We had a lot of discussions with the NOC, whose representatives asked: “What do you do there?

Why is the situation in Ukraine unique?

Where were these measures when the wars were fought in Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen, Mali, Ethiopia and so on? ”, - quotes the head of the IOC portal Inside The Games.

He said that at the moment, due to the adopted “protective measures”, the IOC cannot fully fulfill the mission entrusted to it.

“We are receiving tangible support from the international community and those concerned are our Ukrainian friends.

It is about providing them with protection and assistance.

Their decision is of decisive importance,” the president of the organization stressed.

In Russia, Bach's explanations were received negatively.

So, four-time Olympic biathlon champion Alexander Tikhonov accused the head of the committee of bias and bias.

“Thomas Bach is America's slave.

We know very well that the Americans are the general sponsors of the IOC.

Whoever pays the money orders the music.

Everyone can listen.

They order one.

Thomas Bach is unable to solve anything, ”R-Sport quotes Tikhonov.

According to the famous hockey player Vyacheslav Fetisov, the head of the IOC is trying to justify his own weakness with such excuses.

According to him, in the current situation, the UN and other international organizations work in a free mode, but not the Olympic Committee.

“The IOC here, first of all, should allow athletes to participate, build bridges, and help improve relationships.

What is the requirement for athletes?

I played in Soviet times both in the international arena and in the NHL.

I don’t think that the attitude towards me, personally, has changed after any events.

Public opinion is different.

Referring to some part of the world community is not very correct when you head one of the most influential international organizations, ”Sport-Express quotes Fetisov.

In turn, the Olympic champion in speed skating Svetlana Zhurova stressed that Bach is under pressure. 

“When they all pile on, he understands that without such decisions, many will boycott the Olympics.

They threaten him like this: “If there is Russia, we will not come anywhere.”

This is the public reaction he is talking about.

They use all their tools,” said the State Duma deputy.

According to her, the IOC is in a difficult situation, because the leadership has to choose between Russia and other countries.

“In any such story, when one is being poisoned, you need to find the instigator and neutralize him.

If this succeeds, then everyone begins to support the one whom they offend.

But there is always an instigator who is very strong and influential.

This is what we pointed out when we talked about the danger of a unipolar world.

It turned out that such a situation can be achieved in sports, ”said Zhurova.

Dmitry Vasiliev called Bach's performance an attempt to find an excuse for those actions that, according to the two-time Olympic champion in biathlon, can be considered a crime against the Olympic Committee.

“These are excuses!

He did something stupid.

And now he has found a ridiculous excuse that he cares about the safety of athletes.

And before, when our athletes were suspended everywhere, he didn’t even stutter about it.

Thomas Bach will go down in history as the man who destroyed the Olympic movement.

And what he is saying now is a stupid attempt to justify himself, ”Sport-Express quotes Vasiliev.

However, according to the German functionary, Russian and Belarusian athletes would have faced suspensions one way or another, even if the IOC had not issued a corresponding recommendation.

Only then would decisions be made by the leadership of the countries organizing the events - as, for example, Wimbledon did.

At the same time, the functionary stressed that the organization does not plan to introduce any restrictions against the Russian Olympic Committee.

“We will impose sanctions only on those who bear certain responsibility.

We will not impose them on the National Olympic Committee of a particular country because of the actions of its authorities until the leadership of the NOC supports these actions, ”said Bach.

According to the head of the sports practice of the legal group "Clever Consult" Anna Ancielovich, it has no legal force, and can only indicate a possible change in approach.

She also recalled that shortly before UEFA's decision to suspend Russian clubs and national teams, the president of the organization, Aleksander Čeferin, made a similar statement, and this indicates that words remain words.

“We all understand that international federations, when deciding to suspend Russian athletes, are guided by the recommendations of the IOC.

It is clear that the President of the IOC has great authority, and his word is of great importance, but not legal.

In order for these words to have any legal consequences, they must be adopted by the executive committee.

Perhaps there are some conversations, and these words may indicate something, but we'll see after the next meeting of the executive committee, ”RIA Novosti quotes her as saying.