Bach doesn't fear Ukraine Olympic boycott after Russians allowed in
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International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach doesn't fear a boycott of the Paris 2024 Games by Ukraine hs he again defended the decision to admit athletes from Russia and Belarus.
"Why should Ukraine penalise its own athletes for the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian army and deprive them of their dream of the Olympics?" Bach told German paper Welt am Sonntag.
"You are not a supporter of war just because you don't fulfil Ukraine's every demand, especially as we have supported the Ukrainian athletes with unprecedented solidarity since the start of the war."
Bach said the decision would not change the course of the war in Ukraine in Russia's favour.
He said that Russian and Belarusian athletes were only allowed to compete in Paris as neutral athletes and without any national symbols, if they don't support the war, and have no affiliation with Russia's military and security servives.
"This makes the sanctioning of this government clear to the whole world once again," Bach said.
The IOC decision has been criticised by Ukraine but also Russia, which fears that top athletes could be denied entry via the criteria.
Looking at the criticism from both sides, Bach said: "That means we have obviously struck a good balance."
