Russia’s presence at next year’s Paris Olympics would be a “manifestation of violence”, Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has told a summit of 35 sports ministers chaired by the UK government.
“If the Olympic sports were killings and missile strikes, then you know which national team would occupy the first place,” added Zelenskiy, who renewed his calls for all Russians to be banned from the Games.
The International Olympic Committee said last month it was exploring a “pathway” to allow Russian and Belarusian competitors to take part in Paris under a neutral flag.
However, Zelenskiy told the ministers, who included representatives from the US, Canada and across Europe, that these athletes would be forced “to play along with the war propaganda”.
