The International Olympic Committee announced last week that athletes from Russia and Belarus could potentially return to international competition in the Asian qualifiers for the Paris Olympics. Athletes would still not be allowed to use country symbols, but would participate as neutrals.
The IOC’s exit has caused resistance. Poland and Great Britain are planning a joint coalition to prevent the two countries from participating in the Paris Olympics.
On Thursday, the sports ministers of the Baltic countries and Poland also demanded that sports organizations exclude Russia and Belarus from the Olympics and other events until the end of the war.
The ministers also asked the ministers of the Nordic countries to join the same front.
According to Poland, the coalition could issue an ultimatum to the IOC about, for example, boycotting the Games. Minister of Science and Culture responsible for sports Petri Honkonen (central) stated on Wednesday in an interview with Ilta-Sanomi (you will switch to another service)that a possible boycott of the Olympics would not be a matter for the Finnish government, even if it “had foreign political elements”.
– My starting point is categorically that Russia and Belarus cannot participate in the Olympic Games in any form as long as Russia is in Ukraine and violates international law and human rights there, Honkonen commented to IS.
Honkonen also stated that Russia is a country where elite sports are particularly close to the presidential administration as part of the state’s exercise of power.
CEO of the Finnish Olympic Committee Taina Susiluoto states to Urheilu that the position of the Olympic Committee has not changed.
– We condemn Russia’s war in Ukraine and our sympathies are with the Ukrainians at this point. We don’t think the time is right for Russians and Belarusians to return to sports, says Susiluoto.
On Friday, the Danish government announced that it will not accept the return of Russians or Belarusians, even as neutral athletes without national symbols, as long as Russia continues its war of aggression in Ukraine, supported by Belarus.
– Denmark’s official position and also my own position as a minister is that we will not waver in our attitude towards Russia, the Danish Minister of Culture Jakob Engel-Schmidt said.
Engel-Schmidt clarified separately that Russians should not be admitted to the Games even under special conditions.
Also the Prime Minister of Estonia Kaja Kallas on Friday hinted at the possibility of a boycott if Russians and Belarusians are allowed to the Paris Olympics.
Polish Minister of Sports Kamil Bortniczuk supported Kallas’ ideas on Friday.
– Boycotting the Olympics would be the strongest and last resort. But I would give the IOC a chance to introspect before resorting to such drastic options.
Discussions this week
The Olympic Committee is having discussions with Nordic colleagues this week, including the president of the IOC by Thomas Bach from the survey sent to sports associations.
According to Susiluoto, Bach asked what kind of practical effects it would have for each sport, if Russians and Belarusians were allowed to try a comeback in the Asian qualifiers without IDs.
– I would think that we will also go through the common Nordic position and mirror it to this situation.
“Too early to take a stand”
Susiluoto says that he relies on newspaper information at the request of Poland and the Baltic countries to the Nordic countries. He believes that the issue will also be discussed at the next meeting.
– I can’t say anything other than that we will definitely go through up-to-date surveys.
Is it possible that Finland would boycott the Paris Games if Russians and Belarusians are participating?
– At this point, it is too early to take a position on it. When the race teams are being named and sent, we mirror in that moment what the situation is then.
So is it the case that you don’t believe that such boycotts can still be put together at this stage?
– War is quite unpredictable and it is difficult to predict things. Last week, when the European Olympic Committees met at the Youth Olympic Festival, there was no talk of this type.
– Now we are having a dialogue with the Nordic countries about what income angles they have, and we will evaluate the matter on that basis.
The IOC considers the boycott threats to be unfortunate. The IOC also considers that Ukraine’s considered boycott of the Olympics is also against the principles of the Olympic movement.
Human rights are exhausted from discussions
However, Susuluoto emphasizes again that the Finnish Olympic Committee and the Nordic countries have strongly condemned the Russian war. It is not yet the right time to open up international sports to Russians and Belarusians.
United Nations experts previously issued a statement defending the IOC government’s recommendation for the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes without country codes.
The UN urged the IOC to make a decision along these lines and ensure that no athlete is discriminated against based on their nationality.
The Board of the IOC referred in its long announcement (you will switch to another service) To the UN’s recommendations and concerns about discrimination, when they answered why the IOC can’t shut down Russians and Belarusians for the time being.
Secretary General of the Human Rights Association Kaari Mattila said on Friday that the IOC and the UN should strive for consistent policies. In Mattila’s opinion, precedents such as South Africa and the former Yugoslavia should be examined.
– Due to apartheid (racial segregation), South Africa was closed for about 30 years from international sports competitions. “Stump Yugoslavia”, i.e. Montenegro and Serbia, was closed and their athletes were allowed without state symbols in a few games.
Mattila points out that now it is a matter of the opinion of two experts. For example, “Tynkä-Yugoslavia” was closed by the UN Security Council.
– This discussion doesn’t take place in the Security Council, for example, because Russia sits there, Mattila said on Radio 1’s Ykkösaamu.
In his opinion, the UN would now have the opportunity to profile itself as a defender of human rights in sports. Until now, the statements have been reactive, when the media of rich countries have highlighted human rights violations at the venue.
– The human rights debate has been conspicuous by its absence from sports. I do not consider this single statement to be a particularly strong measure. It is a position, but it has not been discussed in the interstate discussion.
According to Susiluoto, the opinion of the experts shows the complexity of the situation.
– In this difficult situation, we are trying to find ways to allow athletes to play sports. At the same time, the goal must be to be on the side of peace – on the right side of history, Susiluoto said on Friday.
Chairman of the Finnish Ice Hockey Association Kalervo Kummola suggested on Thursday Ilta-Sanomen (you switch to another service) in an interview that Russians who want to participate in the Games should write on paper that they oppose the war. Kummola stated that “then the ball would be in the hands of the athletes”.
– Not in any case. In other organizations, we can’t collect signatures of conscience or attitudes either. There would be many kinds of legal problems, Mattila stated.
Below you can watch the entire discussion on the topic on Ylen Aamu on Friday.