The numbers can be misleading. In Seoul, the general assembly of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) opened this Wednesday, October 19, early in the morning, in a generously filled room. According to the official count, 186 Olympic committees are represented in the South Korean capital, out of the 206 national organizations that are members of the movement. The others follow the work online, remotely.
In these post-pandemic times, the result remains very respectable. But two national committees animated the debates on this first morning of the general assembly. One by its presence, Russia. The other for its absence, Ukraine.
As announced several weeks ago, the Russians made the trip to Seoul. They were invited. They seized the opportunity. A delegation from the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), led by its president, Stanislav Pozdnyakov (photo above), is present at the ANOC general assembly. Its delegates wear their accreditation around their necks. They are only distinguished from the rest of the officials of the Olympic movement by the absence of the national flag placed on their table in the conference room.
The Russians are here. And their presence alone is enough to crack the impression of unity that the Olympic movement would like to display from the South Korean capital.
Before the opening of the general assembly, eleven national Olympic committees wrote a joint letter to the president of ANOC, the Fijian Robin Mitchell, to express their disagreement with the presence in Seoul of Russian and Belarusian officials. Among them, Denmark, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, Norway, Iceland, Sweden and New Zealand.
Wednesday morning, Thomas Bach did not avoid the subject. He even made it the opening, and undoubtedly the most listened to part, of his long speech to the ANOC general assembly.
The IOC President justified the presence of the Russian and Belarusian national committees. “ War was not declared by Russians, Russian organizations and Russian athletes, suggested the IOC President. We should not sanction them. We must punish those responsible for this war"
Thomas Bach insisted: the sanctions recommended by the IOC at the start of the conflict in Ukraine, and the measures taken by the Olympic movement, must not be lifted. But he called on the national Olympic committees to wisely remain within this line of conduct, without seeking to deviate from it. “ Don't do less, because doing less means you're dividing the Olympic movement, he explained. Don't do more, because doing more means you are dividing the Olympic movement. »
The message is clear: the IOC calls for unity. “ Choose the path of unity and peace, insisted Thomas Bach. Each of you is, first and foremost, a member of our global Olympic movement. Keep this in mind and never forget that you, your autonomy, your athletes, could be the next to be sanctioned for political reasons. »
Determined to justify the presence of Russian and Belarusian officials, Thomas Bach spoke of this week's meeting of the United Nations General Assembly. “ Right now, as we gather here, the United Nations General Assembly is meeting with the full participation of all its member states, whether their countries are in conflict or not. We will not be more political than the politicians", he insisted.
Convincing? Not sure. Thomas Bach's speech finished, Denmark asked to speak. “ We have here the presence of the Russian and Belarusian national Olympic committees, but we are without the presence of Ukraine, very calmly suggested the president of the Danish Olympic committee, Hans Natorp. It should be the opposite. We need unity. This is based on the principles of the UN and the Olympic Charter. »
Very dry response from Thomas Bach: “ Unity also means that we are in a democratic organization, where we respect the clear majority. We do not lump everyone together because of the actions of their government. Please keep in mind that you are a member of this Olympic movement"
The debate could have continued. And, with it, the Olympic movement displays its divisions on the Russian question. But Robin Mitchell cut it short unceremoniously. Several other signatories of the anti-Russian letter asking in turn to speak, the president of ANOC warned: “ The discussion that has just ended will probably be the last on politics"
