Russia Rages Against Olympic Chiefs, Accuses Them Of 'neo-Nazism'
Faizan Hashmi Published March 20, 2024 | 10:24 PM
Russia launched a furious tirade at the International Olympic Committee on Wednesday, arguing the IOC's restrictions on Russian athletes and its criticism of the Moscow-organised Friendship Games amounted to "neo-Nazism"
Moscow, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Mar, 2024) Russia launched a furious tirade at the International Olympic Committee on Wednesday, arguing the IOC's restrictions on Russian athletes and its criticism of the Moscow-organised Friendship Games amounted to "neo-Nazism".
The IOC on Tuesday both barred Russian athletes from taking part in the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics on July 26 and criticised the Kremlin for planning to hold its own "Friendship Games" to rival those held in the French capital.
"These decisions demonstrate how far the IOC has moved away from its stated principles and slipped into racism and neo-Nazism," Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a briefing.
The IOC suspended Russia from the 2024 Games last year, but gave the green light for its athletes to compete as neutrals as long as they did not actively support the Kremlin's assault on Ukraine.
This neutral status forces Russian athletes to "renounce any association with their homeland, with their citizenship, with their history, culture and people," Zakharova argued.
"The IOC's decisions are wrongful, unjust and unacceptable," she said.
"We are outraged by the unprecedented discriminatory conditions imposed by the International Olympic Committee on Russian athletes."
Russia's fury comes a day after the IOC issued a strongly-worded statement accusing the Kremlin of "politicising sport" by planning to hold its own Friendship Games.
Announced several months ago, the first edition of the Summer Friendship Games is "planned to be held in Moscow and Yekaterinburg" next September, the IOC said, with the first winter edition to take place in 2026 in Sochi, the venue for the highly controversial 2014 Winter Olympics.
The IOC called on the sporting world and governments invited by Moscow "to reject any participation in and support of" the event, but stopped short of sanctioning those who take part.
The Kremlin warned the IOC against such sanctions on Wednesday.
"This is intimidation of the athletes. It completely undermines the credibility of the IOC," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
Tensions between Moscow and the Olympic body had already been running high for years over a long-running doping scandal which saw Russians barred from competing under their own flag in the 2020 Tokyo Games.
The IOC accused Moscow in the same statement of "total disrespect for the global anti-doping standards and the integrity of competitions", citing concerns made last week by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in light of the institutionalised doping at the Sochi Winter Olympics 10 years ago.
Athletes from Russia and Belarus have faced sanctions from a myriad of sports since Moscow launched its assault on Ukraine in February 2022.
Over the past year a number of Olympic sports have eased restrictions, allowing athletes from both countries to return to competition under certain conditions.
Sportspeople from Russia and Belarus will compete in Paris as "Individual Neutral Athletes".
But competitors from both countries remain banned from the sport of athletics.
Meanwhile, Europe's highest rights body on Wednesday called for Russian and Belarusian athletes to be banned from the Paris Olympics.
President of the Council of Europe Theodoros Rousopoulos said it would be "an insult to Ukrainian athletes" if competitors from the two nations were allowed to participate.
"Should athletes from a country that has invaded another participate in the Olympic Games?" he asked.
"In other words: can we condemn Russia for bombing Ukrainian civilians, kidnapping children, torturing prisoners, carrying out massacres -- and then applaud its athletes?"
Related Topics
Recent Stories
Dubai Mum Becomes the First Ever Pakistani Woman to Climb 11 of the 14 Highest M ..
Over 37% Tobacco tax increase suggested to save lives, boost revenue
Mohsin Naqvi has offered a substantial incentive, pledging $100,000 to every pla ..
Citizens join Al Barsha Police in “An Hour for Dubai” Initiative
Art can be a powerful tool to relieve stress, Experts say at Sharjah Children’ ..
Currency Rate In Pakistan - Dollar, Euro, Pound, Riyal Rates On 5 May 2024
Today Gold Rate in Pakistan 05 May 2024
Bugti assures transporters for addressing their problems
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Mohammad Ishaq Dar meets foreign min ..
3 drug peddlers arrested, hashish recovered
1496,990 children given polio drops in five days: DC
Six terrorists killed, hideout busted in N Waziristan IBO: ISPR
More Stories From World
-
Football: Italian Serie A table
5 hours ago -
Tennis: ATP Madrid Open result
5 hours ago -
Football: Italian Serie A results - collated
5 hours ago -
Bodies in Mexico presumed to be missing surfers have bullet wounds to head
5 hours ago -
Rublev battles past Auger-Aliassime to claim Madrid Open title
6 hours ago -
Cesar Luis Menotti, football romantic who led Argentina to first World Cup
6 hours ago
-
Football: German Bundesliga table
6 hours ago -
Former Argentina World Cup winning coach Menotti dead at 85 - federation
6 hours ago -
Leverkusen extend unbeaten run to 48 games with win at Frankfurt
6 hours ago -
Rejuvenated Liverpool dent Tottenham's Champions League dreams
6 hours ago -
Furious Moyes blasts West Ham flops after Chelsea run riot
6 hours ago -
Teenager turns self in after attack on German politician
6 hours ago