CNN
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International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has said it rejects “defamatory statements” by Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhaylo Podolyak. The former journalist said the IOC was a “promoter of war, murder and destruction”, following the committee’s decision to examine ways for Russian athletes to compete in the 2024 Olympics.
“The IOC rejects in the strongest possible terms this and other defamatory statements. They cannot serve as the basis for any constructive discussion. Accordingly, the IOC will not comment on them further,” a spokesperson said on Tuesday. from the IOC to CNN in a statement.
The IOC has indicated that Russian and Belarusian athletes could be allowed to “take part in competitions as ‘neutral athletes’ and in no way represent their state or any other organization in their country, as already happens in professional leagues. , notably in Europe, the United States and Canada, and in certain individual professional sports.
Podoliak had tweeted: “The IOC observes with pleasure the destruction RF [Ukraine] then offers [Russia] a platform to promote genocide and encourage their further killings.
“Obviously [Russian]-the money that buys Olympic hypocrisy has no smell [Ukrainian] some blood. Alright, Mr. Bach,” he added.
During his overnight address on Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he “wrote a letter to the presidents of the International Sports Federations with a call to reconsider the International Olympic Committee’s decision to send Russian athletes back to international competitions.”
According to Zelensky, once “Russian athletes show up at international competitions, it’s only a matter of time before they start justifying Russia’s aggression and using symbols of terror.” He called the International Olympic Committee’s decision “unprincipled flexibility”.
