The Norwegian member of the International Olympic Committee Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen has found herself in the eye of the storm. According to NRK, at the IOC meeting, Jacobsen advocated the return of Russians to international competitions.
The Norwegian sports world is buzzing. The country’s public broadcasting company NRK reports on Thursday citing its numerous sources, (you will switch to another service) that the Norwegian member of the International Olympic Committee and the head of the Norwegian Olympic Committee’s Athletes’ Commission Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen would have advocated the return of Russians and Belarusians to international competition fields at the IOC meeting on Wednesday.
– If sport continues to be neutral and we have zero tolerance towards all discrimination, athletes cannot be excluded just because of a Russian passport. It is also a violation of human rights. I have only defended the opening of the debate, Jacobsen commented to NRK.
– Many people feel that the war is really close, and that’s why there are great emotions. The subject is really difficult, you just want to punish them by all possible means, but we should discuss the value aspect first.
The International Olympic Committee announced on Wednesday that it is investigating how Russians and Belarusians could return to international competitions. Chairman of the IOC Athletes’ Commission Emma Terho told Urheilu on Wednesday that there is support for the return of athletes from the two countries from around the world, outside of the Nordic countries.
– The position we see here is in the minority, Terho admitted.
However, it was decided at the meeting that no changes will be made to the February decision, but that the recommendation that Russians and Belarusians are not invited to participate in the competitions will still remain in force.
Jacobsen was enraged by the news
Norwegian newspaper in an interview with VG (you will switch to another service) Jacobsen was annoyed by NRK’s news.
– Because of such inaccurate reporting, I get a lot of hate. Because of the northwest aspect of it, there is a lot of emotion involved. Atrocities are taking place in the war in Ukraine and the war is a huge injustice. I have not met a single representative of the sports world who would support the war, Jacobsen spilled.
Jacobsen stressed that no decisions were made in the athletes’ commission of the Norwegian Olympic Committee, but only the basic values and mission of sport were discussed.
The athletes’ commission of the Norwegian Olympic Committee, which Jacobsen heads, represents the interests and views of the athletes belonging to the NIF, i.e. the Norwegian Central Sports Organization. The Norwegian Central Sports Organization also includes the Olympic Committee and the Paralympic Committee. In addition, Jacobsen is a member of the International Olympic Committee’s Athlete Commission.
NRK published the news on Thursday evening at 18:00 after trying to reach Jacobsen for two days. According to NRK, it relies on several claims in its reporting, which emphasized that Jacobsen advocated Russia’s return to the competition fields.
Also a Swedish biathlete, who represented the International Biathlon Union at the IOC meeting Sebastian Samuelsson, told NRK that he understood that the athletes commission of the Norwegian Olympic Committee was the majority who wanted Belarus and Russia back on the competition fields. Samuelsson himself is strongly against this.
– We expressed that in our opinion they should not be welcomed back. We talked about the Olympic peace, which has been broken three times and it has always been Russia. They broke it in 2008, 2014 and again now in 2022, Samuelsson commented.
The Olympic medalist roared
Norwegian rower, Olympic and World Cup medalist Kjetil Borch was disgusted by Jacobsen’s position.
– I have to admit that I am quite surprised. He represents the Norwegian Sports Commission, which protects and represents the interests and values of Norway’s top athletes. I think Astrid has really missed our opinion, Borch said to NRK. (you switch to another service)
Borch says that he sits in the facilities of Olympiatoppen, which is responsible for Norway’s top sports, practically every day in winter.
– I talk to athletes, coaches, staff and foreign athletes and I don’t recognize myself at all in how the athletes’ commission is now showing our national support for the inclusion of Russia.
Borch does not believe that the majority of the members of the Norwegian Sports Commission would be in favor of including the Russians. He said his trust in Jacobsen had weakened.