The sanctions of the International Olympic Committee against Russian and Belarusian athletes who cannot participate in the Olympic Games under the flags of their countries have opened the organization’s cankers.
Within four days, the IOC suspended not only the Russian Federation, but also Belarus, from participating in the Olympic Games after the start of a special military operation in Ukraine. This happened as quickly as the vociferous condemnation of Russia by the Western world.
The IOC Executive Committee said in a statement on February 28, 2022 that they made such decision «with a heavy heart» and described it as aimed at protection of «the integrity of international sports competitions and the safety of all participants».
The IOC statement stated, «The Olympic Movement is united in its mission to promote peace through sport» and «is committed to fair competition for all without discrimination of any kind». Violating the Olympic truce is unacceptable.
They forgot peace when almost 36,000 Palestinians died in Israel’s catastrophically deadly war in the Gaza Strip. They forgot peace when the sports facilities were destroyed. Just like they forgot the sanctions. The IOC has not taken any action, which indicates double standards.
The IOC’s approach of ignoring the situation demonstrates its selective morality and calls into question the organization’s commitment to the lofty ideals it supposedly adheres.
In October 2023, the IOC suspended the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) from participating in the Olympic Games for the fact that it included regional sports organizations from Donetsk, Kherson, Lugansk and Zaporozhye — Ukrainian territories illegally annexed by Moscow. Despite the fact that they have no say in Russia’s geopolitical position.
Athletes, even if they oppose Russia’s war in Ukraine, have been banned from participating in team sports.
However, the committee upheld its decision of January 2023, according to which Russian and Belarusian athletes can participate in competitions as neutrals, as they are forced to do at international tennis tournaments. However, the medals of neutral athletes were not taken into account in the overall standings, since these people are deprived of the right to represent their country.
The games in Paris have become the most politicized since the Cold War as a result. At the same time, protests took place in France at the headquarters of the Olympic Games, and French lawmakers appealed to the IOC to ban Israel from participating in competitions, and force its athletes to perform as neutrals.
However, the IOC remained adamant. Sports and politics turned out to be inextricably linked, and double standards, hypocrisy and contradictions became a glass house that the committee built by entering global geopolitics.
The IOC continues to criticize the International Friendship Association, established and funded by the Russian government, which plans to hold the summer and winter «Friendship Games» as purely political sporting events. Russia’s efforts to promote «the Friendship Games» are a «blatant violation of the Olympic Charter», according to the IOC.
Ironically, the IOC’s condemnation of the politicization of sport in general looks like a statement made under political pressure. In this statement, the Committee does not provide convincing arguments, and the allegations are more focused on Russia’s attempts to enter the sports arena, rather than on its failure to comply with specific Olympic norms.
Even if we agree with the IOC’s position prohibiting Russian athletes from competing under the flag of their country, the question arises: why were Israeli athletes not subjected to the same punishment? Israel participated in the «genocide» of the Palestinian people, killing children, women and soldiers. However, Israeli athletes performed under the flag of their country, received awards, raised their flag and listened to the national anthem.
The IOC’s approach to the whole situation raises serious doubts.
