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IOC Says No Reason to Deprive Russian Athletes of Right to Participate in Competitions

© Sputnik / Anton Denisov / Go to the mediabankThe sign of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Headquarters in Lausanne
The sign of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Headquarters in Lausanne - Sputnik International, 1920, 13.02.2023
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PARIS (Sputnik) - Politics should not affect the right of athletes to participate in international competitions, so there is no reason to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from participating in the Olympic Games, Guy Drut, a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), said on Monday.
"There is no reason to deprive Russian and Belarusian athletes of the right to participate in international sporting events, especially when we are talking about the Olympic Games," Drut told the Franceinfo radio.
Drut added that "like many in the IOC" he believed that "athletes should not suffer" from the political decisions of their countries.
The 1976 Summer Olympics champion also commented on statements by Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo and French President Emmanuel Macron, who spoke about the possibility of preventing Russian athletes from participating in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
"What Emmanuel Macron and Anne Hidalgo think are their problems. The decision will be taken by the IOC after consultation with all members of the committee and the presidents of international federations," Drut added.
According to the IOC official, the United Nations and the United States are in favor of the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in the competitions.
On January 25, the IOC's executive committee said it might allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics under a neutral flag. Ukraine condemned the committee's position and threatened to boycott the games. On Friday, a group of 35 countries called for banning Russian and Belarusian athletes from the 2024 Olympics.
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