The meeting was planned informal. It turned out to be very formal. It had to be reduced to a handshake and an exchange of politeness, in the stadium stand. It took on the appearance of an official interview.
Invited to Moscow to attend the 2018 World Cup final as IOC President, Thomas Bach not only witnessed France's victory over Croatia. The German leader especially took advantage of the opportunity to renew dialogue with Vladimir Putin, the host of the evening. And, surprise, promise better days for Russian sport in the Olympic world.
According to an IOC press release, the two men met even before the World Cup final. No details were provided regarding the location and duration of the exchange. But he seems to have been more than courteous.
After having " discussed the development of sport in Russian society”, a surprisingly broad subject for such an interview, Thomas Bach and Vladimir Putin would have agreed that the time had come to draw a line under the past. The IOC explains it: “ They both agreed that in the interests of Russian athletes, the time had now come to re-engage in dialogue to look to the future and fully bring Russian sport back into the international sporting community."
Clearly, Vladimir Putin and Thomas Bach spoke of an imminent and full-fledged return of Russia to the picture. Thomas Bach is in favor of it, as evidenced by his position on the Russian issue at the PyeongChang Games. As of Wednesday February 28, 2018, only three days after the end of the events, the IOC lifted the suspension of the national Olympic committee.
Still according to the IOC press release, “ President Thomas Bach noted that in the interests of clean Russian athletes and all athletes around the world, the reinstatement of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was of the utmost importance, and that the IOC would strongly recommend that the Russian Olympic Committee take the final necessary steps in this direction in order to enable Russia to once again fully and actively play its role within the Olympic Movement"
The wording is intended to be very bombastic. A habit for the IOC. But it's easy to read between the lines. In Moscow, Thomas Bach assured Vladimir Putin that WADA would soon stop attacking the Russian anti-doping agency. He also promised that he would be able to find the means to remove the last obstacles to the complete reintegration of Russian sport and its organization.
How ? The issue will be debated today in Moscow. Unlike the other leaders who came to Moscow to take the best seats in the official stand at the Luzhniki stadium, Thomas Bach has not yet left Russia. This Monday he is due to meet the new president of the national Olympic committee, Stanislav Pozdnyakov, and his inner circle. Objective of the meeting: “ restore dialogue and cooperation. »
Proof of the IOC's desire to immediately bring Russia back into the picture: Thomas Bach would have detailed at length on Sunday, in front of a undoubtedly overjoyed Vladimir Putin, the support provided by the IOC to the " new projects launched by the Russian NOC, including training seminars aimed at instilling a strong anti-doping culture among athletes. » He would have even gone so far as to mention the “ partnership agreements with training centers across Russia to open up opportunities for athletes and coaches, particularly those from the former Soviet republics. » Difficult to do more.
Vladimir Putin can rub his hands. Russian sport sees the end of the tunnel and could soon be reinstated in its own right. Thomas Bach is committed to this. However, everything is not settled in the thick doping file. But it doesn't matter, it seems.
