International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said last week that they are considering somehow allowing Russians and Belarusians to participate again.
The reason it is happening right now is to have time to participate in the qualifiers for the Olympics in Paris 2024.
After that, the Nordic Olympic Committees issued a joint statement opposing the IOC's new line.
They would address this at the beginning of the European Olympic Committee's seminar in Olympia, Greece, and at the same time say that they believe it is wrong that Russia and Belarus were allowed to participate in the seminar.
But then Peter Reinebo was silenced.
- In connection with the general secretary of the EOC going over the conditions for the meeting, he talked about the importance of open communication.
It was a given opportunity for me to raise my hand and say that I have a comment, he says.
He had time to deliver the message about the representatives at the meeting, but when he was about to read out their joint statement, the microphone was turned off.
- It was a very unpleasant experience.
To be treated that way.
At the beginning of the meeting it was said that the meeting was not intended to discuss politics, but Reinebo does not think they did.
- Our approach was not to discuss politics, but to present a protest against the implementation of the meeting in that way, he says and continues:
- I think it is unacceptable that you are not allowed to talk to the point in a comment about a meeting that you are just starting.
It was something that we performed in the first break.
Shortly afterwards, the Ukrainian delegation, which had a similar message, was also silenced.
- There was a very special atmosphere in the room, of course.
Many people thought that it must not happen like that.
Then you can have different views on the matter, and we know that you do, says Reinebo.
CUT: In February, the IOC wanted to stop Russian athletes from competing
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Thomas Bach and the IOC want to stop athletes from Vladimir Putin's Russia.
Photo: Martin Messner/AP/TT