The Russian government plans to hold "purely politically motivated sports events" in Russia — summer and winter "Friendship Games". The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is against the politicization of sports.
This is stated in the press release.
They note that Russia plans to hold the first "Summer Friendship Games" in Moscow and Yekaterinburg in September 2024, "contrary to the Basic Principles of the Olympic Charter and the resolutions of the UN General Assembly."
To do this, the Russian government, according to IOC, has launched an intensive diplomatic offensive involving government delegations, ambassadors, and ministerial bodies, which are appealing to governments around the world.
The International Olympic Committee adds that the Russians are deliberately bypassing sports organizations in their target countries, which is a gross violation of the Olympic Charter.
"This is a cynical attempt by the Russian Federation to politicize sports. IOC Athletesʼ Commission, which represents all the worldʼs Olympians, strongly opposes the use of athletes for political propaganda. The commission even sees the risk that their governments will force athletes to participate in such a highly politicized sporting event as part of a political propaganda campaign," the press release reads.
IOC believes Russia has also shown a "complete disregard" for global anti-doping standards and competition integrity, as it was involved in a "systemic doping program at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games" and the manipulation of doping data.
- In 2019, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) banned Russia from the World Championships and Olympics for 4 years due to a doping scandal — 298 Russian athletes were suspected of violating anti-doping rules.