Usyk's request, Carlsen's doubts and a survey in Norway: how the world speaks on the admission of Russians to the Games

The discussion about the admission of Russians and Belarusians to international competitions and the Games in Paris in 2024 continues, although the International Olympic Committee has not yet made a final decision on this matter and has not announced any new criteria for obtaining a neutral status.

At the same time, many have recently begun to speak out against the admission of Russians to participate in the Games.

So, the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, last week wanted to see Russians and Belarusians at the Olympics under a neutral flag, but then invited them to play in the refugee team.

The current world chess champion Magnus Carlsen previously refrained from commenting on political topics and took part in competitions where domestic grandmasters performed.

However, on Tuesday he said that playing against them is increasingly strange.

“At first I was more than a lot of people thinking before you dismiss people.

Especially when it is not clear what long-term consequences this will have.

But now, as things have dragged on, I'm more and more inclined to think that perhaps the Russians should not play.

But I don't decide that," Carlsen explained in an interview with VG.

As grandmaster Sergei Karyakin noted, Western propaganda had an effect on the world champion as well.

According to the chess player, he is sad to hear this from a colleague.

“Usually I defended him, despite the harsh statements.

I said that he is a world champion with his own peculiarities and oddities.

But here I can't agree with him.

Will Carlsen's words affect anything?

FIDE is guided by the opinion of many chess players.

I am sure that if Carlsen continued to defend the title of world champion, they would be guided by him.

Now I don’t know, ”Sport-Express quotes Karyakin.

Carlsen was certainly influenced by the mood at home.

The Norwegian Athletes' Association even conducted a survey among athletes regarding the admission of Russians and Belarusians to international competitions.

According to NRK, 88 out of 110 people (80%) were in favor of the suspension.

Another 13.6% expressed support for the return of Russian citizens, while 6.4% refrained from answering.

“It is not for me to judge the decisions of the IOC at the global level, but we are quite sure that the position of the Norwegians and other countries of northern Europe coincides.

If we are talking about caring for Ukrainian athletes, then we simply cannot discuss the issue of the return of Russians.

This is the situation in Europe, ”NRK quotes the head of the association, Erlend Hanstveit.

But what came as a surprise was the appeal to the head of the IOC, Thomas Bach, from boxer Alexander Usik, who did not speak openly on this topic for a year.

“I am a Ukrainian athlete, in 2012 I became an Olympic boxing champion, now the current world heavyweight champion.

You want to allow Russian athletes to compete in the Olympics.

The medals that the Russians are going to win are medals of blood, death and tears.

Let me wish you a peaceful sky above you and be healthy and happy, ”Usyk said in a video message on social networks.

In Russia, they saw in the words of the athlete the influence of the Ukrainian government.

This is the opinion, in particular, of the former absolute world boxing champion in the light welterweight Konstantin Tszyu.

“In my opinion, Usyk is under serious pressure, which is why he says so.

I do not want and will never mix sports with politics.

And what about the athletes who participate in competitions and everything that happens around?

— quotes the words of Tszyu Sport24.

The former world boxing champion Alexander Valuev agrees with him.

“The SBU found control over Usyk as well.

Life is more difficult, but he is still a boxer of Ukraine, so it is quite expected, ”the State Duma deputy explained.

Great Britain also opposes Russia's participation in the Olympics.

The issue of admitting athletes was raised during Volodymyr Zelenskyy's visit to London.

“Our position and the position of many other countries on this issue throughout this time has remained unambiguous, and we want to make sure that we continue to act in concert, and also make this clear to the IOC,” British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was quoted by The Guardian as saying.

According to him, Russia should not be allowed to participate in international competitions, “it should be treated as a rogue state and not be given the opportunity to legitimize its illegal war in Ukraine.”

It is not yet clear whether all this information attack will have any impact on the IOC.

The organization is trying to stick to the course announced at the beginning of the year.

“The presence of the Russian or Belarusian delegations, as well as the flags of these countries at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris is not planned.

The only option that could be considered is the participation of individual neutral athletes, as was the case last year at the French Open, recently at the Australian Open, as well as in other professional sports, ”the organization said in a statement, which leads ESPN.

The final decision on the Games in Paris is planned to be made no earlier than in a couple of months.

Now we are talking exclusively about international starts.

This was announced by the official representative of the French government Olivier Veran.

“So far, no official decision has been made by the IOC.

But you know that France has consistently advocated the full and comprehensive application of any sanctions,” Veran explained.

French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed these words.

“The decision will be made in the summer, and we will consider it depending on the circumstances and what will happen on the battlefield,” he told reporters upon arrival at the EU summit.

At the same time, the Minister of Sports of the Russian Federation Oleg Matytsin is counting on the soon return of Russian athletes to the international arena.

“Turning to history, this is not the first difficult period.

Our country has always aroused envy and a desire to make it weaker.

Sport was at the forefront, and we were often isolated, but we always overcame trials with honor.

The main thing is that the sports system is always very powerful.

There is no doubt that we will pass the current period with dignity.

The world community is looking for ways to return our athletes to the international arena.

We hope that this will take place soon, ”Matytsin said in an interview with RIA Novosti.

Thus, the special rapporteur of the organization in the field of cultural rights, Greek Alexandra Xantaki, said that the removal of Russian athletes from international competitions cannot help Ukraine.

“This is direct discrimination based on nationality.

Mixing governments with individuals is a very, very bad idea.

In many countries there are athletes who are associated with the army.

There are many states that violate human rights.

Should we exclude them?

We don't.

How will this help the Ukrainians?

How will this help respect human rights and reduce future conflicts?”

- the expert asks in an interview with NRK, her words are quoted by RIA Novosti.