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Russian deputy PM says Olympic Movement infected with 'Russophobia virus'

"We hope that the International Olympic Committee [IOC] will change its policies and cooperation will resume at some point," Dmitry Chernyshenko underlined

MOSCOW, February 7. /TASS/. The Olympic Movement has forgotten its core principles and become infected with the "Russophobia virus," Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko told TASS on Wednesday.

"The Olympic Movement has been infected with the Russophobia virus and it has strayed from its core values as well as the Olympic spirit of competition," Chernyshenko, who oversees issues of sports, culture and tourism in the Russian government, said in an interview with TASS.

"We can all see full well that the right to host the Olympic Games is granted to those countries that are simply ready to submit their bids and eventually they win this right without any competition," he continued.

"We hope that the International Olympic Committee [IOC] will change its policies and cooperation will resume at some point. But this is a matter of perspective and Russia is now going its own way," Chernyshenko added.

On December 8, 2023, the IOC allowed Russians and Belarusians to compete in the Olympic Games in Paris under a neutral status. The IOC reported that athletes from Russia and Belarus would not be allowed to participate in any team events.

Participation in the Olympics will also be denied to those who actively support hostilities. Individuals associated with the army or national security organizations will not be allowed to compete in the Olympics. Officials will not be accredited to the competition. The display of official symbols of Russia and Belarus will be prohibited.

IOC sanctions against Russia, Belarus

On February 28, 2022, the International Olympic Committee issued recommendations to international sports federations to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from taking part in international tournaments, citing Moscow’s special military operation in Ukraine as the reason.

Following the IOC’s recommendations in late February 2022, the majority of global sports federations decided to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from all international sports tournaments.

In late March, 2023, the IOC recommended to permit individual athletes from Russia and Belarus to take part in international sports tournaments, but only under certain conditions. Specifically, athletes from the two countries should not be "actively supporting" Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine and must compete under a neutral status. Russia and Belarus were also banned from participating in international team events.

On July 26, 2023, the IOC extended invitations to the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris to 203 National Olympic Committees. Russia and Belarus did not receive invitations. The IOC explained later that there was no deadline regarding the issue of Russian and Belarusian athletes’ participation.

2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris

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