World heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk urges the Worldwide Olympic Committee to not enable Russian athletes to compete underneath a impartial banner in Paris subsequent 12 months I “The medals that Russian athletes are going to win are medals of blood, dying and tears”
Final Up to date: 08/02/23 11:19am
Oleksandr Usyk has urged the Worldwide Olympic Committee to not enable Russian athletes to compete underneath a impartial banner in Paris subsequent 12 months
World heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk has urged the Worldwide Olympic Committee to not enable Russian athletes to compete underneath a impartial banner in Paris subsequent 12 months, saying any medals they win will likely be “medals of blood”.
Usyk’s feedback got here because the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, made clear she doesn’t desire a Russian delegation at subsequent 12 months’s Video games whereas the warfare in Ukraine goes on.
In a direct video message to IOC president Thomas Bach posted on his official Instagram account, Usyk mentioned: “I’m a Ukrainian athlete; I gained an Olympic gold in boxing in 2012; I’m the present world heavyweight champion and my title is Oleksandr Usyk.
“You need to enable Russian athletes to compete on the Olympics.
“Russian Armed Forces invaded our nation and kill civilians. Russian military is killing Ukrainian athletes and coaches and destroying sports activities grounds in addition to sports activities halls.
“The medals that Russian athletes are going to win are medals of blood, dying and tears. Let me want you to have peaceable sky above you and to be in good well being and pleased.”
Usyk is the present world heavyweight champion
The IOC has been working with worldwide sports activities federations and nationwide Olympic committees to develop a pathway enabling Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete in Paris as neutrals underneath strict circumstances, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Hidalgo informed France Information: “So long as there’s this warfare, this aggression (of) Russia on Ukraine, it’s not doable to parade as if nothing had occurred, to have a delegation come to Paris, whereas the bombs proceed to rain down on Ukraine.”
Hidalgo final month mentioned she was in favour of Russians taking part underneath a impartial banner however has now expressed a special view.
She mentioned: “Actually, (a impartial banner), it does not actually exist as a result of generally there are athletes who’re dissidents. They march and compete underneath the refugee banner.
“The impartial banner was a topic of doping and that was the selection that they had made. I’m not in favour of that possibility. I’d discover that absolutely indecent.”
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo careworn that if the IOC authorised a Russian flag on the Video games, she wouldn’t agree with the place
Hidalgo careworn that if the IOC authorised a Russian flag on the Video games, she wouldn’t agree with the place, including: “I’ll communicate earlier than, as a result of we nonetheless have slightly time earlier than deciding.”
The Olympics are as a result of run from July 26 to August 11 within the French capital subsequent 12 months.
The IOC initially beneficial that worldwide sports activities federations exclude athletes from Russia and Belarus within the days following the invasion final February.
Nevertheless, Bach has repeatedly insisted that was a measure designed to guard these athletes, and is adamant no athlete needs to be discriminated in opposition to based mostly on the passport they maintain.
The IOC final week warned any boycott of the Video games by Ukraine – which has been threatened by the nation’s sports activities minister – would solely serve to hurt Ukrainian athletes and {that a} boycott by Ukraine and different nations would go in opposition to the basic ideas of the Olympic Motion.
