Poland threatens to boycott the Olympics if Russia is accepted

Warsaw, February 3 – Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Pawel Jablonski said that Poland should boycott the 2024 Olympics if athletes from Russia and Belarus participate in it, adding that Warsaw should therefore “put pressure on the IOC”.

“This is the pressure we need to put on the IOC,” he added.

At the same time, the deputy minister confirmed that he was expressing his personal opinion. “This is my opinion,” he said, “the sports federations will make their own decisions, because they are independent of the government. I will urge everyone to make such a decision (to boycott the Olympic Games – Ed.)”.

The Executive Committee of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on January 25 called for the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes to international competitions in a neutral position, while proposing that athletes who actively supported the special operation not be allowed into Ukraine. In response, Mikhail Podolak, advisor to Volodymyr Zelensky’s office, accused the Lausanne-based organization of promoting Russian violence, destruction, and bribery. The International Olympic Committee called the allegations defamatory.

After that, the sports ministers of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland addressed the IOC with a joint statement, in which they demanded that athletes from Russia and Belarus not be allowed to participate in the Olympic Games in 2024.

Western countries have increased sanctions pressure on the Russian Federation because of Ukraine, in addition, an unprecedented level of fear of Russia has been recorded in a number of foreign countries. According to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, attacks on Russians and Russian-speaking citizens affect students, athletes, and cultural and artistic workers. The President of the Russian Federation said that Western Russophobia is nothing but racism.