Ukraine accuses the IOC of being a "war promoter" if it allows Russian athletes to participate in the Olympics

MADRID, 30 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) -

Adviser to the Ukrainian Presidency Mikhailo Podoliak has accused the International Olympic Committee (IOC) of being "a promoter of war, murder and destruction" if it finally allows Russian athletes to participate in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. , France.

"The IOC watches with pleasure as Russia destroys Ukraine and then offers Russia a platform to promote genocide," Podoliak criticized on his official Twitter profile, thus adding to the criticism made by the Ukrainian president, Volodimir Zelenski, at the end of In the past week.

Along the same lines, the presidential adviser has directly questioned the president of the IOC, Thomas Bach, to reproach him that Russian money seems to "do not smell of the blood of Ukrainians." "Right, Mr. Bach?", He has settled.

Since the outbreak of the war, international sports organizations have canceled any event on the territory of Russia or Belarus, and have even forced athletes from both countries to compete under a neutral flag, without displaying national symbols.

However, the IOC confirmed last week that it is studying the end of the ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes in international competitions. In fact, Bach himself appealed already in December for the sport to recover its "unifying mission".

President Zelenski already called this IOC position "disappointing" on Friday and directly invited Bach to travel to Bakhmut to see "with his own eyes" the devastating effects of the Russian offensive on Ukrainian territory.

In fact, the Ukrainian president affirmed that he will do everything in his power to keep the sport away from "the political influence and the terrorist State" --in reference to Russia--, at the same time that he conditioned the presence of Russian athletes in competitions, such as the Paris Olympics, to end "aggression and terror" over Ukraine.