Bach’s controversial Russia question
IOC boss warns of “decay of the sports system”
03/22/2023, 11:09 p.m
When deciding on the return of Russian athletes to international competitions, the IOC boss insists on the autonomy of the sport. Next week, the IOC wants to discuss key points. There are protests at a lecture by Boss Thomas Bach.
IOC President Thomas Bach has again appealed to politicians to recognize the autonomy of sport when deciding whether Russian and Belarusian athletes should return to international competitions. “We can only develop the values of sport if politics respects these values,” said the head of the International Olympic Committee in a speech on “Olympics between sport and politics” in Essen.
If politicians make decisions about who can or cannot take part in sporting competitions for political reasons, then sport and athletes would “just become a mere instrument of politics. Then it is impossible for sport to convey its common values,” emphasized the 69-year-old fencing Olympic champion from 1976 from Würzburg. This autonomy is praised in speeches by politicians. However, these words and declarations were not always followed by deeds. “This is also shown by the discussion in some European countries. Including, not to say, especially in Germany,” Bach said. Ukraine even demands the total isolation of all Russians in sports.
“Will see matches of different political blocs”
“It is a dilemma for us and a completely new situation. Because so far no government and no athlete from conflict countries has demanded total isolation – or threatened a boycott,” he explained. “If we make an exclusion based on political considerations, we are facing a deterioration in the international sports system.” Then there would be no more real world championships and universal games. But: “We will see games from different political blocs that no longer have anything to do with this connecting character of sport across all borders,” warned Bach. National Olympic Committees from Africa, Asia, America, Oceania and also from parts of Europe would point this out.
The IOC must therefore make a responsible decision and find cornerstones. This is to ensure “that our sanctions remain in place” and “the conditions for Russian and Belarusian athletes are really respected,” he said. This is not an enviable task. “Only history will decide who contributes more to peace. Those who try to keep lines of communication open, promote dialogue or those who isolate and divide.” Next week, the IOC Executive will make further decisions. Bach said: “Wish us good luck.”
In the run-up to Bach’s lecture in the Philharmonie, around 150 demonstrators came together to protest against the discussed reintegration. “We demand that the athletes are only allowed back when this war of aggression is over,” said Thomas Schiemann, a former Essen sports official and member of the organizing association “Opora”, on the sidelines of the demonstration to the sports information service: “I will be Thomas Bach ask why he is so loyal to Vladimir Putin.”