With the Paris Olympics next year approaching and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine becoming a prolonged conflict, Ukraine’s Minister of Sports renewed a threat to boycott the games if Russia is allowed to participate in the competition. He also stated that Kiev would lobby for other nations to join in the boycott.
So far, no nation has declared it will boycott the 2024 Summer Games. However, Ukraine has gained the support of Poland, the Baltic countries, and Denmark, which opposed a plan by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to allow delegations from Russia and its ally Belarus to compete in Paris as “neutral athletes,” without flags or anthems.
This movement could lead to the biggest rift in Olympic competition since the Cold War era.
“I think our efforts should be to convince our other friends and allies that the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes is simply wrong,” said Estonia’s Prime Minister Kaja Kallas. “Therefore, the boycott is the next step. I think people will understand why this is necessary.”
The IOC stated in a statement that “this threat of a boycott only leads to an even greater escalation of the situation, not only in sports but also in a broader context. It is regrettable that politicians are misusing athletes and sports as tools to achieve their political goals.”
It added bluntly: “Why punish athletes of the country for the fact that the Russian government started the war?”