📆 The International Day of Sport for Development and Peace is marked on April 6

«O Sport, you are Peace!» – this famous phrase belongs to Pierre de Coubertin, who revived the Olympic Games at the end of the 19th century. However, against the backdrop of scandals with 🇷🇺 athletes, it is obvious that the essence of that expression lost its relevance long ago.

❌ This March the Executive Committee of the IOC announced a number of recommendations for international federations regarding the possible admission of Russians to competitions: «athletes who are contracted to the Russian military or national security agencies» as well as «athletes who actively support the war cannot compete». At the same time, even if the «requirements» are met, our Olympians can compete only as «Individual Neutral Athletes».

🚫 It is blatant discrimination against athletes on the grounds of nationality. Violation of basic human rights. What is happening, in fact, is an overt attempt to exclude Russia from world sports.

The decisions of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), which suspended Russia's membership, also run contrary to the UN postulates. The reason is that we ostensibly failed to comply with the obligations enshrined in the Charter of the IPC, as well as breached the «Olympic Truce». At the same time, the IPC did not provide any evidence confirming the abovementioned facts. However, 🇷🇺 Paralympic athletes have also been victimized by the overwhelming Russophobia, which, is likely to be peddled by IOC functionaries who are guided by the Olympic motto – «Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together».

✔️ The sports movement knows no skin color, no religion, no national identity. Sport is out of politics. Its a task is to bridge the gap between different states. Even during the Cold War, the Soviet Union was not deprived either of the flag, or of the anthem, or of the opportunity to participate in international competitions. Sport should unite, not divide. Its politicization is unacceptable.

#AllSportsForAllPeople