The world of sports is going through turbulent times full of comings and goings regarding one of the most controversial issues to hit it in recent times. The veto of Russia and Belarus It was established more than a year ago, since then Vladimir Putin I decided to implement the occupation UkraineAfter more than 365 days, the chaos continues and there is no concrete position.
He was the last to make his position clear again. UKThrough your words. minister Culture, Media and Sports, Lucy FraserShe urged all sponsors who want to be present at the Olympic Games to maintain their position against the presence of any Russian or Belarusian athlete. Moreover, she wants to expand her scope to include any kind of sport.
This is a position that is completely at odds with that of the International Olympic Committee. The latter is promoting its gradual disappearance so that those born within the borders of Russia and Belarus can stay in just under a year and a half at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, but this does not seem to be an idea and this system has spread widely among different countries and sports federations.
Lucy Fraser during a presentation in the British Parliament
This stance has shaken the presence of many countries in the Olympic Games, to the point that Ukraine has suggested the possibility of using its veto power over the most important event in the world of sport. Zelensky himself has even suggested this, all in order to avoid meeting with Putin and any athlete born in the region. This confrontation is affecting many federations, some of whom have withdrawn their veto power after the IOC’s words.
However, controversy has arisen, with many believing that athletes are not responsible for Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine. In fact, in cycling or tennis, they have been able to compete practically since the event, something we have not seen in other sports such as basketball, which has reduced the presence of any club from those countries.
[París quiere vetar a Rusia en los Juegos Olímpicos si continúa la guerra contra Ucrania]
United Kingdom, Inflexible
The UK has been one of the most adamant countries when it comes to not giving a single millimetre when it comes to easing measures against Russia and Belarus. It is a policy it has maintained until recently within its own borders and one such example concerns tennis.
Wimbledonalong with other smaller tournaments such as Queens also EastbourneRussian and Belarusian tennis players were not allowed to compete in 2022 and were prepared to continue in 2023. However, the news provided by Daily Mail They stressed that they would be present in this edition if they demonstrated their neutrality and adhered to ethical rules.
Reflection on possible bankruptcy of long term agreementthe British Tennis Association, which could face $20 million in fines. It could have divided the tennis community within the country, but they decided to back down and allow it to exist. Daniil Medvedev, Aryna Sabalenka And the company.
However, after it became public, albeit informal, the UK has once again demonstrated that it was a fluke and that it has no plans to reverse the situation. It left just over a month ago, signing a joint petition with 34 other countries to keep its veto in place, at least for the duration of the invasion of Ukraine.
[Wimbledon se echa atrás con el veto a los rusos y bielorrusos: una decisión motivada por las presiones]
The British government’s statement came through the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Lucy Fraser. However, a letter was sent to major sponsors attending the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, a decision that declares their discomfort with the situation and puts them in conflict with the International Olympic Committee.
“We know how closely sports and politics are intertwined in Russia and Belarus, and we are determined that the Russian and Belarusian regimes cannot use sports for their propaganda purposes,” the minister’s message about the planned exercises read.
“Having hosted the Games in London in 2012, we know how wonderfully organised the event is and we recognise the vital importance of sponsors in the success of the Games,” he explains of his interaction with advertisers present at the Olympic event.
Flag of Russia and flag of the Olympic Games.
Furthermore, the text also notes that there is a “lack of clarity and concrete details” and that “no Russian or Belarusian athlete should be allowed to return to competition,” even if they are competing under a neutral flag. In addition, it urges the IOC to “reconsider its proposal” and retain its veto power.
Moreover, this is not the first time that the spear has been broken in this case. Fraser herself has already left a very clear message in her intervention. “There is a risk that the world will want to turn the page and go back to the way things were before. But the situation with Ukraine has not changed since the decision taken by the IOC last February, when the Russian invasion began,” he said. “To prevent Russians and Belarusians from participating in any competition.”
Latvia, another example.
In fact, Latvia was among those who also showed their lack of sympathy in the last hours towards Russian and Belarusian athletes. The country’s Olympic Committee withdrew its financial assistance to the tennis player. Elena OstapenkoRanked 25th in the world for participating in competitions involving players from banned areas.
Moreover, the company was not the only one affected by this decision of the Latvian Ministry of Education and Science, as others such as cyclists Toms Scoggin and Christ NeilandsIn addition to two other tennis players, Daniela Vizman and Darja Semintag It saw payments suspended under a support programme for elite athletes.
Ostapenko during his first round defeat at Roland Garros.
Reuters
The decision to end payments comes after an agreement was reached between LOK and the ministry to ensure that state budget funds are not allocated to athletes if they participate in sports competitions in which they coincide with Russians or Belarusians.Regardless of their status and the rules and decisions of international sports federations.”
In the case of Jelena Ostapenko, the tennis player participated in the Dubai Championship. There she was defeated by the Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka. For this reason, the motive behind this was to suspend them from the said aid in the future, which they were not affected by in Latvia.
Other federations are removing it.
But despite the rectitude of some countries like the United Kingdom or Latvia, where Ukraine is a big fan of keeping this agreement, there are others who are in favor of withdrawing it. Although in this case they are sports federations, because in the case of boxing or tennis they have already withdrawn.
And now the latter has arrived and joined them. For example, fencing has decided to choose the IOC proposal and will allow Russian and Belarusians compete after reaching agreement on a extraordinary congress. People born in these regions will be able to participate in the competition starting from the second half of April 2023, and they will be able to arrive just in time. World Fencing Championships in Milannext July, and will be allowed to participate in the qualifiers for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Moreover, it follows in the footsteps of other sports such as judo or boxing, which have already adopted this option a few months ago.
There are certainly two different trends and two different ways to deal with the ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes. It is a problem for the IOC, which will have to see how to solve the mess and manage to convince everyone to agree so that they can attend Paris 2024.
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