Ukrainian Presidential advisor Mikhail Podoliak has accused the International Olympic Committee (IOC) of being a «promoter of war, murder and destruction» if it finally allows Russian athletes to participate in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France.
«The IOC watches with pleasure Russia destroy Ukraine and then offers Russia a platform to promote genocide,» Podoliak has reproached on his official Twitter profile, adding to criticism voiced by Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski late last week.
In the same vein, the presidential aide has directly questioned IOC president Thomas Bach to reproach him that Russian money seems «not to smell the blood of Ukrainians». «Right, Mr. Bach?», he concluded.
Since the outbreak of the war, international sports bodies have canceled any event on the territory of Russia or Belarus, and have even forced athletes from both countries to compete under a neutral flag, without displaying national symbols.
However, the IOC confirmed last week that it was considering ending the veto on Russian and Belarusian athletes in international competitions. In fact, Bach himself appealed back in December for sport to regain its «unifying mission».
President Zelenski on Friday called the IOC’s position «disappointing» and directly invited Bach to travel to Bakhmut to see «with his own eyes» the devastating effects of the Russian offensive on Ukrainian territory.
In fact, the Ukrainian president affirmed that he will do everything in his power to keep sport away from «political influence and the terrorist state» – in allusion to Russia -, while conditioning the presence of Russian athletes in competitions, such as the Olympic Games in Paris, to the end of «aggression and terror» over Ukraine.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)