The Russians are confused: Belenyuk says some Russian wrestlers no longer allowed to participate in Olympics
Olympic champion and member of parliament Zhan Beleniuk said that Ukraine will cooperate with the International Olympic Committee to develop criteria for the admission of Russians and Belarusians to the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
He also said that some Russian wrestlers who had planned to participate in the Olympics were no longer allowed.
– The criteria developed should be in line with Ukraine’s interests. Those people who supported or are supporting the war, who have been identified as participants in propaganda events, for example, standing next to Putin and glorifying the Russian authorities and their leader, should not be able to participate in international competitions,” he said.
He added that he has information that some Russian wrestlers have already been blocked. Beleniuk noted that they are now confused and do not know what to do, as they planned to participate in the Olympic Games, but this opportunity is now closed.
Beleniuk believes that Ukraine needs to continue working in this direction, communicate with the IOC, prove and show how certain athletes of the aggressor country have behaved. He emphasized that athletes who participated in propaganda events cannot be called neutral.
As a reminder, in December 2023, the IOC Executive Board decided to allow individual athletes from aggressor countries to participate in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris in a neutral status.
The statement said that athletes and staff who support the war against Ukraine or are members of the security forces of the aggressor countries will not be able to participate.
