Italian Deputy Prime Minister, Matteo Salvini, expressed the hope that the next year's Olympic Winter Games in Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo would be able to host Russian and Ukrainian athletes. During the inauguration of the bobsled track, prepared for the Olympics, Salvini stated that he would like to see Ukrainian and Russian flags.
The bobsleigh track in Cortina d’Ampezzo is simply a ‘example of large Italian engineering’, Salvini rated. Italian engineers and architects are no match in the world. The Olympic track caused long-term contacts and discussions as they sought location for him, which caused considerable delays. There was even a hypothesis of utilizing a suitable facility in Austria during the Italian games.
Russia's representation, for the last time, took part in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. And already in a part of the team, as the launch excluded the athletics, with the exception of Daria Kliszyna, as well as a large part of the squad of rowers, canoeists, swimmers, five-boars and 1 sailor. The planet Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) even recommended an MKOl to exclude all Russians in consequence to the doping study during the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, prepared by Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren.
The 2018 Olympic athletes from Russia competed in the Pjongczang Games, and in the following summers in Tokyo in 2021 and winter in Beijing in 2022, the squad participated under the name of the Russian Olympic Committee. Without national colors and without playing the Russian anthem for winners.
After a full-scale armed aggression against Ukraine, Russia and its ally Belarus began in February 2022, they stay on the margins of planet sport. Players from these countries only compete in any disciplines, but under a neutral flag, and teams – both national and club – are excluded from global competitions. Last year only 17 Belarusians and 15 Russians competed in the Paris Games.
It is worth noting that the global Olympic Committee (IOC) has clear rules on the participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus in the games. Athletes from these countries can participate in the games, but only under a neutral flag and without national colors. Furthermore, the IOC requires athletes from Russia and Belarus not to actively support the war in Ukraine, nor do they have any ties to the army of their country.
According to authoritative data, in 2022 Russia and Belarus were excluded from 114 global sports competitions. The value of this exclusion is over $1.5 billion. The number of athletes who were excluded from the 2022 games is over 1,500.
In the coming years, the planet athletics will observe developments around Russia and Belarus. Will athletes from these countries be able to participate in games without restrictions? Only time will tell. 1 thing is certain – the planet athletics will be observing developments around Russia and Belarus with more attention than always before.
Read more:
Olympics Without Borders: Will Russians and Belarusians be able to participate in the Milan Games?
