ISU Statement on Russia's war against Ukraine - Participation in international competitions of Skaters and Officials from Russia and Belarus

[SkateFanBerlin]

Response from Czech republic to IOC`S call for "neutral" Russian/Belarussian inclusion in future Olympics.
Czech foreign minister Jan Lipavsky said: "We must not close our eyes to reality. Russian sport is centrally managed by the Kremlin. The Russian regime does not know what fair play is."
Absolutely correct. Shame on Thomas Bach.

 

[SkateFanBerlin]

I won't be booing because I won't be going or watching.


You all are assuming that these criteria will be followed in good faith. I am assuming that they won't be.

Absolutely correct. Russian will cheat or twist rules to win. When one tactic fails they will try another. I cannot understand sports organizations who refuse to acknowledge this.

 

[On My Own]

Let's wait for a bit. I imagine there will be backlash from more nations over this. IOC is not IOC without money, and Russia isn't the only contributor in that regard. Threaten to not broadcast the Olympics in the States, and they'll fall into line.

I think it might be better to write to NOCs than to the IOC?

 

[kwanfan1818]

What is the source of the money besides broadcast rights, which are contracts between the IOC and the broadcast companies who bid, based on the advertising revenue they expect to receive? (Swag?) Even there, multi-Olympic contracts could lock them in for years, so pressure on them isn't specific to the upcoming two Olympics, and the IOC would likely expect resistance to blow over by contract renewal time.

Is the USOC required to submit Olympic bids? The IOC is already receiving lower numbers of bids and local resistance to submitted ones.

The NOC's can decide not to send athletes.

 

[On My Own]

What is the source of the money besides broadcast rights, which are contracts between the IOC and the broadcast companies who bid, based on the advertising revenue they expect to receive? (Swag?) Even there, multi-Olympic contracts could lock them in for years, so pressure on them isn't specific to the upcoming two Olympics, and the IOC would likely expect resistance to blow over by contract renewal time.

Is the USOC required to submit Olympic bids? The IOC is already receiving lower numbers of bids and local resistance to submitted ones.

The NOC's can decide not to send athletes.

Wow, yes, maybe the IOC thinks they have them locked in... I hope not. Are 2 and 3 the only remaining options for NOCs, if they're locked in?

 

[SkateFanBerlin]

Another possibiity is for EU countries (France) to refuse visas including transit visas.

 

[On My Own]

I guess I would also say a contract isn't worth keeping your mouth shut over moral issues.

 

[kwanfan1818]

Broadcast networks are not known for their takes on moral issues.

 

[thvu]

I won't be booing because I won't be going or watching.

I’m definitely someone who would boo (I always loudly boo when Jean Senft’s name is announced), but same here. I wouldn’t even watch if any of the repugnant pro war Russians are skating. I remember how much I loved watching Kondratiuk skate last year, but now he just makes me gag in disgust.

 

[MacMadame]

I’m definitely someone who would boo (I always loudly boo when Jean Senft’s name is announced), but same here. I wouldn’t even watch if any of the repugnant pro war Russians are skating. I remember how much I loved watching Kondratiuk skate last year, but now he just makes me gag in disgust.

It would be the end of Olympic sports for me. Any international sports body that allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes into their sports would be a sport I will no longer follow.

 

[Nadya]

People say what about USA and the war in Iraq? Well what about it? Did USA threaten the world with nuclear weapons? Did USA try to destroy Iraq as a country? Russia crossed so many lines. I’m in no way diminishing the suffering of Iraqi people. Obviously the Iraqi war should’ve never happened. Obviously we live in a very imperfect world where people die in military conflict for no reason. But to use that as a justification to allow Russia back is the height of cynicism.

It's also a height of cynicism to say "I've done it all and more and suffered no consequences 'cause I'm cool like that. But you, you are not cool, and you should definitely be punished for that same thing."

I also feel like it's not entirely inappropriate to remind you that despite the lack of nuclear threat and the alleged lack of intent to destroy Iraq as a country (which really did happen despite lack of intent), the body count and scale of destruction in the Iraq war is far, far, far in excess of Ukraine.

 

[On My Own]

Russian athletes shouldn't be allowed because they are state funded. I don't know why we are counting war crimes. Also, if the past was wrong, doesn't mean the present should also be wrong.

 

[thvu]

It would be the end of Olympic sports for me. Any international sports body that allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes into their sports would be a sport I will no longer follow.

I’ve pretty much stopped watching tennis for that very reason. It’s unfortunate as it was the only other sport I followed, and I used to play multiple times a week.

 

[skatingguy]

I’ve pretty much stopped watching tennis for that very reason. It’s unfortunate as it was the only other sport I followed, and I used to play multiple times a week.

I make a distinction between sports where a state-funded federation makes the decisions about who is competing, and a sport like tennis where the athletes are entering events based on their own choices, and results, but even in tennis Russia & Belarus are not competing in team events.

 

[Bigbird]

So I am royally confused. Does this means we will see Russians competing on the GP come October 2023?

 

[MacMadame]

The only other Olympic sport I follow is triathlon. I would be sad not to watch it or follow the pros but I won't stop doing triathlons. It's not like local events will be inviting pros from Russia.

 

[skatingguy]

So I am royally confused. Does this means we will see Russians competing on the GP come October 2023?

At this point there has been no change to their status.

 

[Willin]

They need to add to the rules that no athlete that is directly or indirectly funded by the Russian government should be allowed to compete. They should also take any appearances in propaganda (even unwilling ones) into account.

It baffles me that the IOC will let athletes funded by Russia compete and that they will continue to allow the athletes to compete because they are used as propaganda. Did they not see the Beijing sendoff with the athletes personally kissing up to Putin?

 

[Bigbird]

At this point there has been no change to their status.

Thank you.

 

[Pastilage]

At this point there has been no change to their status.

Thank you for clarifying this.

This is just maddening to me. Russia attacked a sovereign country. I don’t believe Zelensky in an angel, but the Ukrainian people don’t/didn’t deserve to die/have their existence destroyed. As many have noted, in Russia figure skating is State sponsored. This means you are allowing the Russian government’s own handpicked athletes to perform if they are allowed to compete. Craziness! It’s like rewarding the murder and mayhem.

IOC/ISU has also yet to address never ending evidence of drugging, doping and cheating by the Russian team (2014???). It’s simply not fair. At all. And I’m sick of clean athletes from all over the world having to compete against potentially dirty athletes. How is this allowed???

And then there is the abuse. Eteri’s camp is a complete disaster, making a mockery of the sport and fair competition. Our reigning ladies’ OGM admitted that she did not eat solid food for 3 weeks prior to the competition. That is nuts!!

If they are allowed to compete without addressing these clear allegations, or honestly flat out evidence of cheating/abuse, I don’t think I will follow figure skating anymore. And that makes me sad, especially for all the clean and hardworking competitors this decision will impact.

I met a bunch of you at SKAM a few years back, fabulous people. They should let us address this issue. We’d do a much better job!

 

[flyingsit]

Perhaps the host countries should threaten to back out.

 

[airgelaal]

Russian athletes shouldn't be allowed because they are state funded.

And not only that. They gladly allow themselves to be used as a propaganda tool. Propaganda of the country that started the war.

 

[caseyedwards]

Thank you for clarifying this.

This is just maddening to me. Russia attacked a sovereign country. I don’t believe Zelensky in an angel, but the Ukrainian people don’t/didn’t deserve to die/have their existence destroyed. As many have noted, in Russia figure skating is State sponsored. This means you are allowing the Russian government’s own handpicked athletes to perform if they are allowed to compete. Craziness! It’s like rewarding the murder and mayhem.

IOC/ISU has also yet to address never ending evidence of drugging, doping and cheating by the Russian team (2014???). It’s simply not fair. At all. And I’m sick of clean athletes from all over the world having to compete against potentially dirty athletes. How is this allowed???

And then there is the abuse. Eteri’s camp is a complete disaster, making a mockery of the sport and fair competition. Our reigning ladies’ OGM admitted that she did not eat solid food for 3 weeks prior to the competition. That is nuts!!

If they are allowed to compete without addressing these clear allegations, or honestly flat out evidence of cheating/abuse, I don’t think I will follow figure skating anymore. And that makes me sad, especially for all the clean and hardworking competitors this decision will impact.

I met a bunch of you at SKAM a few years back, fabulous people. They should let us address this issue. We’d do a much better job!

What do you mean they haven’t addressed it?!? They literally banned “Russia” banned girls under 17 etc

 

[airgelaal]

Real victims who are afraid. Who does not remember, she, along with the skaters, had fun at a meeting with putin.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1641356890813739008

 

[xxibjt]

If you're banning Russians for being used by their governments what about the Chinese athletes?

 

[Hedwig]

If you're banning Russians for being used by their governments what about the Chinese athletes?

I think we could ban many countries for various reasons including China for human rights violations.
But this is about an unprovoked aggressive war on a sovereign nation where the athlets are used as propaganda tool to support this war.

 

[Vagabond]

If you're banning Russians for being used by their governments what about the Chinese athletes?

We will get back to you on that the next time China invades another country (and that includes Taiwan).

 

[caseyedwards]

We will get back to you on that the next time China invades another country (and that includes Taiwan).

It is occupying Tibet right now!

 

[On My Own]

"Russian athletes should be allowed to participate because in 1936 Nazi athletes were allowed to participate" - the next post from CE.

 

[euterpe]

HMMMM. But the 1936 Olympics were held in Munich GERMANY. The 24 Os won't be in RUSSIA (deo gratsias).