CNN
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Ukrainian tennis star and Olympic bronze medalist Elina Svitolina referred to as for Russia to be banned from the Olympics in a press release launched on social media on Wednesday.
“The Olympics are the most important dream and the last word privilege for athletes. They’re the most important platform for inclusion and variety in sport, which is getting the world’s consideration,” former world No. three Svitolina Stated,
“With this in thoughts, the sanctions we should impose on Russian and Belarusian athletes ought to ship a robust message all over the world, that we stand united within the sanctions imposed in opposition to Russia and Belarus and the results of their governments’ heinous acts; Their lives can not proceed as regular and the world can not, nor can the Russian or Belarusian folks be unaware of the atrocities they’re perpetrating in Ukraine.
Russian and Belarusian athletes are presently banned from competing by a number of sports activities federations following a earlier advice by the Worldwide Olympic Committee (IOC).
However final week, the IOC stated Russian and Belarusian athletes may very well be allowed to participate in competitions as “impartial athletes”, a transfer that might open the way in which for them to take part in Olympic qualifiers after which finally the Paris 2024 Video games. can pave the way in which.
On Tuesday, nevertheless, the IOC stated in a tweet: “The sanctions in opposition to the Russian and Belarusian states and governments are non-negotiable. They’ve been unanimously ratified at the newest Olympic Summit assembly held on 9 December 2022.”
These sanctions embody not inviting any authorities officers from Russia or Belarus to worldwide sporting occasions, and never internet hosting sporting occasions in each nations.
The assertion didn’t point out the controversial situation of “impartial athletes” and CNN has contacted the IOC to make clear.
Svitolina’s feedback got here two days after Wladimir Klitschko, the brother of former boxing champion and Kiev mayor Vitali, urged IOC president Thomas Bach to not “betray the Olympic spirit” by permitting Russian athletes to compete “on this disgusting struggle”. turn into a companion.
“You intend to re-authorize Russian and Belarusian athletes to take part within the Paris Video games. I let you know, crimes in opposition to civilians are Russian Olympic champions,” Klitschko stated in a video posted on twitter on Monday.
“He has a gold medal in deportation of kids and rape of girls. You can not put your Olympic insignia on these crimes as a result of you can be an confederate on this heinous struggle.
Based on Reuters, Paris 2024 organizers on Wednesday “insisted that they’ll abide by the Worldwide Olympic Committee’s resolution on the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes on the Video games after Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky stated.”
CNN has reached out to the organizers of Paris 2024 for remark.