The new head of the IOC will consider the return of Russians and Belarusians to the Olympics – what is known
22 March 07:07
For the first time, the newly elected president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Kirsty Coventry, has openly voiced her position on the participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus in competitions under the auspices of the organization. It turned out that the new head of the IOC does not support the practice of suspending athletes because of military conflicts. This was reported by Komersant ukrainskyi with reference to Sky News.
Coventry, who became the first woman to hold the post of IOC president, expressed concern that Russia is being singled out in the context of sanctions, while numerous wars are ongoing on her home continent.
She emphasized the absence of a unified policy on this issue and called for a case-by-case approach.
In order to develop common approaches, the new IOC President initiated the creation of a working group that will develop common rules for situations where countries participating in the Olympic movement are involved in armed conflicts. This group will also hold consultations on the possibility of returning Russian and Belarusian athletes to the Olympic Games and their status.
It is expected that the decisions made may directly affect the 2026 Winter Olympics, which will be held in the Italian cities of Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo.
It is noted that US President Donald Trump has also apparently discussed with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin the idea of using sports to improve relations with Russia.
Earlier, Putin congratulated Coventry on her election to the IOC, saying that her “experience and interest in truly promoting the noble Olympic ideals will ensure your success in such a responsible position.”
