Is Russian sport already tired of its isolation from the international sports movement? Five weeks after the start of the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian army, and a month after the first sanctions against its athletes, Russia dares to take a step forward.
The gesture came from above. Oleg Matytsin, the Russian Minister of Sports (photo above, with Vladimir Putin), announced on Wednesday March 30 that Russia would invite “ friendly countries » to participate in its National University Games. The event is scheduled to take place at the beginning of July. Its organization was planned before the start of the conflict with Ukraine.
« This year we are organizing the Russian Universiade at the beginning of July, explained Oleg Matytsin, quoted by the agency TASS. We will invite universities from friendly countries"
The Russian leader did not specify which supposedly friendly countries would be invited to send a delegation to the university meeting. Belarus, also ostracized from the international sports movement, should be included. China could also be among those present.
The coming months should lift the veil on this invitation from Russia to break its isolation. But one thing is certain: the announcement made by Oleg Matytsin suggests a desire by Russian sport to circumvent, at least partially, the sanctions recommended by the IOC and followed by the vast majority of international sports federations.
Oleg Matytsin did not mention the National University Games by chance. Before joining the government as Minister of Sports in January 2020, he made himself known in the Olympic world as president of the International University Sports Federation (FISU). He was forced to step down from his presidential role in March 2021, at least temporarily, due to Russia's two-year suspension from the Olympic movement.
Despite the influence of its former president, FISU was quick to join the list of international bodies having decided to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes. It excluded them from all its competitions at least until the end of 2022. At the same time, FISU withdrew them from organizing three university events planned for this year.
On the other hand, doubt remains as to the World University Games in 2023. The major meeting in the very busy FISU calendar has been allocated to the Russian city of Ekaterinburg. To this day, it is still the host city.
Oleg Matystin's announcement suggests this: less than 900 days before the Paris 2024 Games, Russia is beginning to fear that its athletes will lose all chances of succeeding at the next Olympic event due to lack of competition and confrontation.
Few international federations have opted for a middle path, authorizing Russians to participate in events under the guise of neutrality. FINA was one of them. But the threat of boycott of the 2022 Swimming World Championships in Budapest, brandished by Switzerland and Germany in the event of the presence of Russian and Belarusian swimmers in the pool, encouraged her to back down. FINA in turn banned athletes from both countries.
