Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Reuters
Reuters
Business

Olympics-IOC and Games cannot be referees in political disputes - Bach

Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee IOC speaks to the Ruhr Political Festival on "Olympics in the field of tension between sports and politics" while Ukrainian refugees protested against Bach and any participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games outside the Philharmonic Music Hall in Essen, Germany, March 22, 2023. REUTERS/Jana Rodenbusch

The Olympic Games and its ruling body, the International Olympic Committee, cannot be referees in global political disputes, its president Thomas Bach said on Wednesday, defending the IOC's plans to includes Russian and Belarusian athletes at the Paris 2024 Games.

Speaking at a political forum, Bach said the Games should stay away from politics otherwise they would lose their uniting powers, citing examples of past boycotts in the 1970s and 1980s.

"If politics decides who can take part in a competition then sport and athletes become tools of politics. It is then impossible for sport to transfer its uniting powers," Bach said in his speech.

Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee IOC speaks to the Ruhr Political Festival on "Olympics in the field of tension between sports and politics" while Ukrainian refugees protested against Bach and any participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games outside the Philharmonic Music Hall in Essen, Germany, March 22, 2023. REUTERS/Jana Rodenbusch

"We must be politically neutral but not apolitical. We know well that politics rules the world. We know well that our decisions have political implications and we have to include that in our thinking," he said.

"But we should not make the mistake to raise ourselves to referees of political disputes because we will be crushed by these political powers."

The IOC issued sanctions against Russia and Belarus following Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year but is now reluctant to exclude their athletes from the Olympics entirely for fear of a return to the boycotts of the Cold War era.

Ukrainian refugees protest against any participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games before the visit of Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to the Ruhr Political Forum in Essen, Germany, March 22, 2023. REUTERS/Jana Rodenbusch

It set out a pathway in January for competitors from Russia and Belarus to earn Olympic slots through Asian qualifying and to compete as neutral athletes in Paris next year.

Neutral athletes are not considered to be representing their nations and their successes are not accompanied by the flying of flags or playing of national anthems.

Some federations have since readmitted Russians and Belarusians in competitions but there is also considerable opposition to the IOC's plans.

Ukrainian refugees protest against any participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games before the visit of Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to the Ruhr Political Forum in Essen, Germany, March 22, 2023. REUTERS/Jana Rodenbusch

"Ukraine wants, and this is a direct quote 'the total isolation of all Russians'," Bach said, as some people in the audience applauded.

"We are in a dilemma," Bach said. "We feel, suffer with and understand the Ukrainian people and athletes. On the other hand, we have, as a global organisation, a responsibility towards human rights and the Olympic Charter.

"Both do not allow such a total isolation of people with a specific passport."

Ukrainian refugees protest against any participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games before the visit of Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to the Ruhr Political Forum in Essen, Germany, March 22, 2023. The placard reads "Ukraine is a country in Europe". REUTERS/Jana Rodenbusch

A few dozen demonstrators, including Ukrainian refugees, gathered outside the concert hall before Bach's speech, to oppose any participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes at the Paris Games.

They held pictures of bombed sporting sites and banners calling for a complete ban of Russian and Belarusian athletes.

Ukraine, which has spearheaded the call to ban them, has also threatened with a boycott should they be allowed to compete there. No final decision has been taken yet.

(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann, editing by Ed Osmond)

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.