Estonian broadcaster ERR will boycott the Paralympic Games where Russia and Belarus will compete

The Estonian public broadcaster ERR will refuse to broadcast the Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympic Games if Russian and Belarusian athletes participate under national flags. This was stated by the head of the sports editorial office, Rivo Saarna, as reported by UNN with reference to the media.

Details

According to Saarna, the broadcaster's position is principled.

ERR unequivocally condemns the normalization of the actions of aggressor states through sports and the Olympic movement and does not accept the decision to admit representatives of the Russian Federation and Belarus to the Paralympics under state flags.

In this regard, as Saarna emphasized, ERR channels will not show the competitive broadcasts that will feature Russian and Belarusian athletes.

At the same time, the broadcaster is not yet announcing a complete refusal to cover the event. ERR plans to broadcast the opening and closing ceremonies of the Paralympic Games live. But during these broadcasts, Saarna clarified, viewers will be separately explained the decisions of international sports organizations and provided with context regarding the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes.

Separately, the head of the ERR sports editorial office noted that the issue of public broadcasters' reaction to the admission of Russians and Belarusians is being discussed not only in Estonia. According to him, the discussion is also ongoing between other public broadcasting channels within the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). And depending on what agreed approaches the partners adopt, ERR is ready to consider strengthening restrictions on Paralympic broadcasts.

As follows from the report, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has lifted previous restrictions on the participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus and allowed them to compete at the Games under their own flags. BBC Sport, citing IPC confirmation, reported that 10 athletes (six from Russia and four from Belarus) received invitations under bipartite commission quotas. This refers to admission to competitions in three disciplines: para-alpine skiing, para-cross-country skiing, and para-snowboarding.

It should be recalled that after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, both countries were suspended from international competitions, including in the Paralympic movement. The IPC's decision to reinstate athletes under national flags has been subject to public criticism in a number of countries and among part of the sports community.

Additionally

A similar position was previously voiced by the Latvian public broadcaster LSM: in January, it stated that it would not show the performances of athletes from Russia and Belarus at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic Games, even if they participated under neutral flags.

Recall

The Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, Matviy Bidnyi, called on the International Paralympic Committee not to give Russia and Belarus a platform at the Paralympic Games. He noted that the IPC's decision effectively contributes to the "legalization" of the war and Russian crimes.