KAZAN – The recent proposal by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) allowing Russian players to partake in international tournaments, though under a set of certain conditions, can be already viewed as a success, Vice President of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) Igor Levitin said on Thursday.
At its Wednesday session, the IOC Executive Board put forward a proposal to allow individual athletes from Russia and Belarus to take part in international sports tournaments, but only under certain conditions.
Athletes from the countries in question should not be "actively supporting" Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine and must compete under a neutral status.
"I believe that this is already a success," Levitin told journalists. "The Olympic community realizes that the Olympic Games cannot transpire without Russia’s participation."
"We found nothing surprising in last night’s [IOC] communique since we were aware that the statement was in the same vein as the initial one," he continued.
"However, it is very important for us that our athletes may be cleared to participate in international tournaments and in the Olympics," Levitin noted.
"The details will certainly be about [IOC] recommendations and we will be waiting when international sports federations receive them," he continued.
"We have not received recommendations as of yet and are waiting for international federations to get them and inform us afterwards. This is when we will start our work to formulate the proposed recommendations."
Levitin also thanked The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) for inviting athletes from Russia and Belarus to take part in sports tournaments in Asia as well as in the Asian Games, provided they follow strict guidelines from the International Olympic Committee.
"I believe that it was an extremely important support provided for us and it was a pivot point in the IOC Executive Board’s final decision," he said.
In a statement from earlier, the OCA announced that the organization had decided to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to take part in sports tournaments in Asia as well as in the Asian Games, subject to IOC conditions.
"The OCA believes in the unifying power of sport and that all athletes, regardless of their nationality or the passport they hold, should be able to compete in sports competitions," the statement reads.
"The OCA has offered to give eligible Russian and Belarusian athletes the opportunity to take part in competitions in Asia, including the Asian Games."
On February 28, 2022, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) issued recommendations to international sports federations to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from taking part in international tournaments, citing Moscow’s special military operation in Ukraine as the reason.
Following the IOC’s recommendations in late February, the majority of global sports federations decided to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from all international sports tournaments.
The 2022 Asian Games are scheduled to be held in China’s Hangzhou from September 23 to October 8 this year.
The event was initially scheduled to be held last year at the same venue but was postponed to a later date due to the COVID-19 situation and its possible spread among people traveling to mainland China. (TASS)
