The national Olympic committee of Switzerland has used a "forbidden trick" designed to get rid of strong competitors, when urging a total ban on the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in international sport competitions, the Russian Embassy in Switzerland said on Friday
ZURICH (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 31st March, 2023) The national Olympic committee of Switzerland has used a "forbidden trick" designed to get rid of strong competitors, when urging a total ban on the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in international sport competitions, the Russian Embassy in Switzerland said on Friday.
On Tuesday, the executive committee of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) issued a recommendation for international sports federations to allow Russian athletes compete under the neutral status, provided that they do not support Russia's special military operation in Ukraine. The Swiss Olympic, in turn, urged a total ban for Russian and Belarusian athletes on Wednesday.
"We consider this to be an attempt by Swiss officials to use a 'forbidden trick' designed to get rid of strong competitors, which our athletes without doubt are. We note that the Swiss Olympic leadership consigned to oblivion the principles laid down by Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic movement, whose main mottoes used to include 'sport outside politics'," the Russian embassy said in a statement.
Calls such as that of the Swiss Olympic create an atmosphere of discrimination against athletes on the basis of their nationality and political views, and undermine the idea of fair competition in sports, the Russian diplomatic mission added.
"Russia will make every effort to provide Russian athletes, who have devoted their lives to sports and have prepared to fight for the world championship, with the opportunity of equal participation in international competitions, including under their native tricolor. We will continue to stand our ground with Olympic calm," the Russian embassy's statement read.
Many sports organizations across the globe have banned Russian and Belarusian athletes from participating in their competitions in response to Moscow's ongoing military operation in Ukraine and Minsk's support for it. The sportsmen have also been barred from competing under national flags and using national anthems at major international sport events, including the Olympics.
