Disinfo: The Baltic states, Poland, and the UK support racial discrimination against Russia’s athletes at Olympic games

Summary

Pro-Western sports institutions have fought against Russian athletes for many years. There are a lot of examples of discrimination. The calls not to allow Russia’s athletes to participate in international competitions, including the Olympic Games, are purely racial. The Baltic states, Poland and the United Kingdom are behind the coalition against Russia’s athletes. 

Disproof

The message is related to discussions about the possibility of Russian (and Belarusian) athletes participating in international competitions in the context of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

The decision not to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to participate in international sports events is a result of Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. It is in that context that the Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee on February 28, 2022 issued its recommendation that International Sports Federations and organisers of sports events “not invite or allow the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials in international competitions”.

The latest discussions are linked to the upcoming Olympic games 2024 in Paris (France). The mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo says that competitors from Russia and Belarus should be banned “while a war continues” in Ukraine. Different European countries are opposed to the possible return of athletes from Russia and Belarus to international competitions as long as the war in Ukraine continues.

See earlier examples of the topic of sport being grounds for disinformation: Russian athletes are forbidden to compete under the Russian flag because of the West’s cold war against Russia; WADA’s decision to exclude Russia from major sports events is anti-Russia hysteria; Russian athletes face sanctions because of Western Russophobia and Russia’s compliance.

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baltnews.com (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 330
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 13/02/2023
  • Article language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Russia, Baltic states, Poland, UK
  • Keywords: Racism, War in Ukraine, Olympics
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