The IOC Executive Board announced the provisional lifting of the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee. The CNOSF expressed some concern in a statement. While acknowledging the importance to preserve the fundamental right of athletes to compete ", he recalls that The Olympic Charter stipulates that National Olympic Committees shall not base the selection of athletes solely on their sporting performances, but also on their ability to embody, defend and to promote, through sport, a peaceful society This raises questions as the war continues.
« How can we expect the Russian NOC to guarantee the requirement, enshrined in the Olympic Charter, to select athletes destined to be role models serving the values of peace supported by the Olympic movement? We remain convinced that any participation of Russian or Belarusian athletes, even under a neutral flag, must be subject to particularly rigorous monitoring in order to avoid any political, military or propaganda exploitation of sport " wrote the CNOSF in its press release.
The issue is also divisive among international federations, with some welcoming the IOC's position and others asserting they would remain inflexible. The German Olympic Sports Confederation has also reacted. It is crucial that this return be managed carefully in order to preserve the integrity of the competition and its participants, and toprevent the Moscow regime from exploiting the sporting achievements of Russian athletes for propaganda purposes " she insists.
