Russia's war against Ukraine is set to continue in the lead-up to the 2024 Paris Olympics, with Denmark the latest country to demand athletes be banned while the siege is ongoing.
Culture Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt has said "Russia must be excluded" from the Summer Games (and "all international sport") as long as its invasion of neighbouring Ukraine persists. President Vladimir Putin's forces first attacked Ukrainian territories in February 2022, with the latest casualty reports estimating 7,155 Ukrainian civilian deaths.
“It is the official position of Denmark – and it is my position as minister – that we must not waver in relation to Russia,” Engel-Schmidt told Danish newspaper BT. "The government’s line is clear. Russia must be excluded from all international sport as long as their attacks on Ukraine continue."
Those comments come after Poland's sport and tourism minister, Kamil Bortniczuk, suggested 'up to 40 countries' could boycott the next Olympics. Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia are believed to be among that number defying Russia's presence at the Games, though it's possible more countries will join the list in the coming months.
It's understood the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is planning to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus—which has assisted Russia in its invasion—to compete under a neutral banner. However, it's the stance of some critics that they should be prohibited from taking part altogether.
“This also applies to Russian athletes who participate under a neutral flag,” Engel-Schmidt continued. "It is completely incomprehensible that there seems to be any doubt about the line in the IOC. And that has been the Danish line ever since Russia attacked Ukraine."
Great Britain has been critical of Russian participation, but the Daily Mail reported the nation is 'unlikely' to join any boycott of the Summer Games. Norway's Olympic Committee, meanwhile, has suggested it is aligned with Denmark in its staunch stance against Russia's involvement.
IOC president Thomas Bach met with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv in July 2022 to discuss the restoration of the country's decimated sports infrastructure. However, Bach has recently turned down Zelenskyy's more recent offer of a visit to the war-torn eastern city of Bakhmut.
Ukraine's president had hoped Bach would attend to “see with his own eyes that neutrality does not exist” after the IOC announced it was examining ways to reintegrate Russian athletes. “Any neutral flag of Russian athletes is stained with blood,” added Zelenskyy.
