The trend is not new, but it is growing. Less than 250 days before the Paris 2024 Games (D – 249), the Olympic movement opposes a united front against Russia, and especially its desire to slide its own competitions into the international calendar.
The IOC has shown the way. At the start of last week, Thomas Bach took advantage of the Forum of International Federations in Lausanne to call for a boycott of the multi-sport competitions announced by Russia for next summer. At the top of the list, the BRICS Games in June in Kazan, then the Friendship Games in September in Moscow and Yekaterinburg.
At the same time, the body alerted the national Olympic committees to the danger of responding to the Russian invitation, inviting them to refuse to participate in the events.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is now joining the movement. Meeting last weekend in Montreal, its executive committee and the board of its foundation discussed the Russian question at length. Not surprising. But, less expected, they also debated the organization in 2024 of the Friendship Games (September 15 to 29, 2024).
WADA President Witold Banka said on the second day of the meeting: “ The so-called Friendship Games in Russia have been announced for next year. We would like to issue a warning, because we have serious doubts about the prospects in the fight against doping. This possible event will be held in a country that does not follow the rules, and we have no information on the anti-doping program during these competitions. »
The former Polish sports minister continued: “ The Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) has still not reached compliance status. From our point of view, these competitions endanger the health of athletes. Possible participation in these events could have certain consequences for the athletes. »
Same story with Olivier Niggli, the director general of the AMA. Following in the footsteps of his president, the Swiss also warns of the “ dangers » to consider participating in the Friendship Games. “ We have no information on what type of anti-doping program, if any, will be in place at this event, nor on which body will implement this program, as RUSADA is still not in compliance with the World Anti-Doping Codehe insists. Under the code, an international event like this should not be attributed to a country whose national anti-doping organization is not compliant. In this context, how can athletes be sure that they will compete in a safe and fair environment? »
The message is clear. And the roles perfectly distributed. At the IOC the political argument. “ None of us should participate in any way in such supposedly politically motivated sporting events,” insisted Thomas Bach on Monday November 13 in Lausanne in front of the international federations. At WADA the more pragmatic speech, on the risks of an event organized by a country always sidelined for its history in the field of doping.
Will the arguments be dissuasive? Likely. To be sure, the Brazilian ambassador to Moscow recently suggested that his country could participate in the BRICS Games. But his statement was not relayed by the sports movement. As for the Friendship Games, brought up to date by the will of Vladimir Putin forty years after their only edition, organized in 1984 in the Soviet Union, their participation was already very vague. Today it is becoming more than uncertain.
