Stanislav Pozdnyakov:
– We have carefully read today’s recommendations of the IOC Executive Board to the International Sports Federations regarding the eligibility of Russian athletes to participate in competitions.
We have only one comment – we strongly object to them. There is the Olympic Charter and the IOC leadership stated earlier time and again that athletes are the heart of the Olympic movement and their rights are above anything, including any political bias.
So, today’s decision of our colleagues from the International Olympic Committee, in our opinion, contradicts both the regulatory documents of the IOC and the Charter, first of all, and the spirit of the Olympic movement, which should unite and not divide, especially when it comes to athletes and equality of participants of the Olympic movement.
As the first step we consider it necessary to send inquiries to IFs to receive an official answer about the status of Russian athletes and their rights to participate in international competitions, because it is International Sports Federations that have the authority to declare athletes eligible to participate in international competitions in the corresponding sport.
For its part, the Russian Olympic Committee intends to consistently defend the rights and interests of Russian athletes and provide all necessary assistance to our National Sports Federations to challenge discriminatory decisions of the respective IFs.
