The IOC president, Thomas Bach, has directly criticised Russia’s leaders – and told them that their “blatant violation” of the Olympic charter is the reason their country has been banned from the Paris Games.
Using unusually strong language that illustrates growing tensions with Moscow, Bach also attacked Russia for its “scandalous manipulation” of the anti-doping system at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. And he insisted the decision to only allow Russians who opposed the war to compete in Paris as neutral athletes – with no flag, anthem or insignia – was the right one.
There are increasing expectations Russia will completely boycott the Games by refusing to send its neutral athletes to Paris. And, speaking on Wednesday Bach was in no mood for compromise.
“Every day we are seeing even more aggressive statements from the Russian government and officials,” he said. “What is remarkable is that this aggressivity is coming from the very same government that was behind the scandalous manipulation of the anti-doping system before, during and after the Olympic Winter Games, Sochi 2014.
“What is also significant is that the Russian government apparently is ignoring the fact that they forced us into action by their invasion and their annexation of parts of Ukraine,” he added. “They even obliged the Russian Olympic Committee to also annex parts under the jurisdiction of the NOC of Ukraine. This is the origin of all this: the blatant violation of the Olympic Charter led us to our actions.”
Bach’s comments came a day after the Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, accused him of a “betrayal of the ideals of the Olympic movement”. But Bach said that the court of arbitration for sport had backed the IOC’s “fair and carefully calibrated” approach to Russian and Belarusian athletes.
Meanwhile Bach also confirmed that special measures would be in place to ensure Israel’s athletes were safe amid growing tensions across France owing to the war in Gaza.
The Israel men’s football team, who have qualified for the Olympics, could have to play in Marseille, Lyon and other places outside Paris, but Bach insisted they would be safe in the Olympic village and wherever they play.
“Since the heinous attack on the Israeli team in Munich, there have always been special measures taken with which the Israeli athletes and the authorities feel comfortable,” he said. “And the same will be true in Paris, Marseille or wherever. There will be Israeli representation.”
“With regard to the Olympic village in the Olympic movement, we are all equal and there will be equal treatment there for everybody,” he added.
