If the case has been agitating international sporting and diplomatic bodies for many months, Sebastian Coe has decided: there is no question for the president of World Athletics to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes, even under neutral status, to take part in events. that his organization orchestrates.
“Athletics will not be on the wrong side of history, the Briton still hammered in front of the press, on July 31. you have a nation [ukrainienne] which can no longer be competitive and whose infrastructure has been destroyed. It seems to me that Russian and Belarusian athletes – many of whom have military affiliations – should not benefit from this situation. »
Unsurprisingly therefore, no representative of the two countries will take part in the world athletics championships, which are being held from August 19 to 27 in Budapest; a qualifying meeting for the Olympic Games (OG) in Paris. At a time when many international federations have validated their return – and when the question of their participation, under conditions, in the high mass of the summer of 2024 arises – the intransigent posture of Sebastian Coe marks a break with the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The position of the Olympic Committee changed
On February 28, 2022, departing from its traditional neutrality, the body established in Lausanne (Switzerland) had recommended to international federations and competition organizers not to allow the participation of Russians and Belarusians. It was a response to the war in Ukraine, launched four days earlier by Vladimir Putin, with the help of his ally Alexander Lukashenko. The recommendation had been followed by the majority: the athletes of the two countries had been declared personæ non gratæ in many disciplines.
Months later, the fighting has not stopped, but the position of the IOC has changed. Its president, Thomas Bach, now wants their reinstatement without anthem or flag, except for the teams, and on the strict condition that the people concerned have not supported “actively” the conflict nor are under contract with the army or the security services of the two countries concerned.
“We understand and suffer with the Ukrainian people and athletes, explained Mr. Bach on March 22 at a political forum in Essen (North Rhine-Westphalia). But, on the other hand, we have, as a world organization, a responsibility towards human rights and towards the Olympic Charter. Both do not allow such total isolation of individuals with a specific passport. »
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