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The IOC criticized the Ukrainian governmentʼs decision to boycott joint competitions with Russians and Belarusians

Author:
Anna Kholodnova
Date:

Reuters / «Бабель»

The International Olympic Committee criticized the decision of the Ukrainian government not to allow athletes to participate in the qualifying competitions for the 2024 Olympics, shared with Russians and Belarusians.

Reuters writes about it.

According to the IOC, this will harm only Ukrainian athletes.

"If implemented, such a decision would only hurt the Ukrainian athlete community, and in no way impact the war that the world wants to stop, and that the IOC has so vehemently condemned. The IOC has always maintained that it is not up to governments to decide which athletes can participate in which international competitions," the Olympic organization said in a statement.

The IOC also noted that there are currently "too many wars, armed conflicts and crises" in the world, but this did not prevent athletes from competing with each other at previous Olympics, despite the fact that "their countries are in a state of war or conflict."