There is one year left until the Paris Olympic Games. In the past, along with the end of the winter season, coaches, journalists and fans would take stock, counting the possible medals of the Games. But now people are not thinking about medals: everyone is only thinking about whether at least one of the Russians will compete in the Olympic Games.
The IOC and Russia currently have a difficult relationship:
The head of the IOC is angry at helplessness. He called Russia “unscrupulous” and threatened to split the Olympics
In relation to the debate on this issue, the recent statement by the press secretary of the Russian president, Dmitri Peskov, recorded by RIA Novosti within the framework of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF), seems very important.
“We certainly need to maintain the level of our athletes and this is impossible without international competitions. We know that there will still be athletes who will participate in these Games in their personal capacity. I am convinced that we must participate in this way.
We know that our sports authorities are working very actively to look for alternative formats for international competitions, this work is underway. Athletes should definitely participate in them. For us it is very important to maintain the high level of elite sport. We are well on the path of popularizing sport as such, and that is fantastic, a healthy lifestyle and the population’s participation in sport is growing. But elite sport is a professional sport and for us it is important to maintain a very high level of our athletes. This is very important,” Peskov stressed.
Russians with a white flag at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games
Photo: RIA Novosti
It is absolutely clear that Peskov, who does not often talk about sports, in this case expresses not his personal position, but the point of view of the supreme power. In our country, even in sports matters, the last word has only one person: President Putin. And Peskov’s speech is a clear sign that from above they see nothing wrong with the fact that not the Russian national team, not even the Olympic athletes from Russia, are going to the Paris Olympics, but rather individual athletes, in white uniforms. , without a flag and with the right to talk about where they are from.
Vladimir Putin himself spoke more briefly and simply on this matter. According to him, the athletes themselves must decide to participate. But once again, there is no indication of a possible ban or restriction.
This means that some kind of compromise is already emerging.
The IOC outlined its position in the spring and filed demands that sparked heated and emotional discussion. It is that those who are not associated with the military and law enforcement agencies, those who have never supported the Northern Military District and those who compete in team sports will not be able to participate in the Olympic Games. At the Games there will be no people who simply do not have time to spend the sports team for them.
Here are more details about the IOC conditions:
Athletes from Russia were allowed to compete. But who would accept such savage conditions?
Russia, for its part, has approached this line, but apparently has no intention of crossing it. Judging by the words of Putin and Peskov, there will be no attempt to put pressure on the IOC. And there definitely won’t be any kind of blanket boycott. The head of the ROC, Stanislav Pozdnyakov, is probably conducting some kind of negotiation with the international Olympic movement behind closed doors, but, frankly, we don’t have the feeling that they will be successful for us. Apparently, we accept the rules of the game that the IOC proposes to us. However, with one additional condition, recently mentioned by Russian Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin. He said, I must admit, that in some ways he was doomed.
“Yes, the majority of the Russian team athletes will no longer be able to participate in accordance with the rules determined by the International Olympic Committee and the federations. This is wrong, this is discrimination and politicization, this is clear to everyone. But objectively, athletes will no longer go there. And our task now is to dialogue with the IOC and the federations about those athletes who still have the opportunity to go to the Games and ensure their participation. But meeting at least the minimum requirements and without crossing the “red line”: signing statements that condemn the policies of the president and the government. We assume and hope that some athletes participate. In this historical period, this is probably the right step.”
Oleg Matytsin
Photo: RIA Novosti
The cards are arranged on the table. And there is only one intrigue left: will the IOC put pressure on Russia and push for these prohibitive declarations?
There is a feeling that this will not happen. Because for Thomas Bach the individual participation of the Russians in the Olympic Games is a great victory. And he seemed to have preserved the Olympic principles, without provoking a global scandal and a major national boycott, and he punished Russia and Belarus.
What will happen next if nothing changes in a year?
Athletes from Russia will go to the Olympic Games. But not with that great team, as usual, but with a couple of dozen people. No stars, no champions, unless world leaders can compete in tennis. Without representatives of team sports and those whom some specially created commission would consider at least somewhat suspicious and inconvenient.
Maybe we’ll even get some medals. The IOC will not summarize them for us, but we, of course, will consider them achievements of the Russian team and look at the medal table. True, not among the top three or five, as usual, but among the top ten. Russia will be present in Paris.
And everyone will calm down with this. For at least two years.
Do we really need these Olympic Games?
Or maybe to hell with these Olympics? What will happen if Russia leaves the Olympic movement?
