Government minister of Ukraine, Oleh Nemchinov made it clear that Ukrainian athletes won’t be taking part in qualifying events for the 2024 Paris Olympics. If they have to compete against the Russians.
Nemchinov, secretary of Ukraine’s cabinet ministers, said the government’s decision was taken shortly afrer a proposal by sports minister Vadym Huttsait and that national federations ignoring this rulings might be sanctioned. Huttsait is also the president of Ukraine’s Olympic committee. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) issued this suggestions on Tuesday for the gradual return to international competitions for Russian and Belarusian athletes.
“At a meeting with the government, a critical decision was made on the suggestion of minister Huttsait that we take part in qualifying competitions only where there are no Russians. Accordingly, participation outside these criteria may be grounds for depriving federations of their national status”. Nemchinov was quoted live on Thursday.
The IOC is to make decision on the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in Paris at a later date. Ukraine has also made threats of boycotting the 2024 Games if they are eventually allowed to compete there. Ukraine’s sports ministry condemned IOC’s latest guidelines on Wednesday. This was while the head of Russia’s Olympic committee has said IOC’s criteria was “unacceptable”.
“I want to tell our fellow athletes who are disturbed. But due to the IOC measures and procedures the acceptance of Russians and Belarusians as competitors. This would clearly mean that Ukrainians will not be able to participate or partake in any way. And that their careers could be broken. But their life and that of their children would always remain” Nemchinov further added.
The IOC is been reluctant in excluding Russians and Belarusians from Paris due to fear of a return back to the boycotts of the Cold War era. It created a pathway in January for them to earn Olympic slots through Asian qualifying to compete as neutral athletes.
Some federations have admitted Russians and Belarusians in competitions. But there is also considerable opposition to IOC’s plans from athletes and some European governments body’s.
