Russia has a lobby in international sports, some Russian athletes acquire licenses as neutral - Poor
Kyiv • UNN
Ukraine continues to insist that some Russian athletes who claim to be neutral actually support the Russian military and meet with Putin, providing evidence to international sports organizations.
Ukraine continues to publicly insist, providing evidence that some seemingly neutral athletes of the Russian Federation are raising money for the Russian army and taking pictures with Putin. This was stated by the acting Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine Matviy Bidnyi on the air of the telethon "United News", UNN reports.
The influence of the Russians in the International Sports Federation is quite powerful. Their lobby allows them to push through any decision - after all, the IOC has committed itself to additional verification of such athletes. (...) But there can be no neutrality in sports. We are presenting our arguments.
According to Bidnyi, Ukraine presents its arguments and evidence.
We present our arguments. Some federations are talking about licensing such athletes as Vladislav Larin, for example, who, according to the Taekwondo Federation, is neutral, and we provide evidence of how he raises money for the occupiers' army. For wrestlers such as Zaur Uguev, for example, who is photographed with Putin.
Ukraine continues to publicly insist, address and communicate with representatives of European countries, and representatives of France as the host country (of the Olympic Games - ed.), the official said.
It is necessary for the process of verification of athletes to be as open and transparent as possible; for Ukraine to be able to provide its evidence in this process, "as to why we believe that they are not neutral," said the acting Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine
Recall
Earlier, UNN reported that Ukraine has not yet made a final decision on its participation in the Olympic Games.
