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

[Vagabond]

Thank you for the correction! That's a relief... but it wouldn't make me feel much better if Plushenko sent one of his assistants abroad and still took credit for his skater's results in the Russian press, which I think is how these things are going to play out for the most part.

Plushenko's assistants are likely just as deeply involved his jingoistic shows as in preparing athletes for competitions.

As I have mentioned before, as of 2018, Russian television was showing exhibition programs with young (Novice or lower) ice dance couples, along with commentary by or vignette interviews with the likes of Alexei Yagudin and Tatyana Tarasova. If programming this is still going on and there is even a whiff of pro-war propaganda, there are a lot of support persons who would fail to meet the criteria for being allowed to come to Paris.

 

[coppertop1]

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.

Another key difference is that sports in the USA aren't state-sponsored and weaponized and used as propaganda.

 

[Firedancer]

Not only considering the horrors of the invasion of Ukraine and the support of athletes of the Putin regime, why the hell do we want athletes that are doping freely back in our sports?

I love how the whole doping issue has been kind of ignored since the Olympics, other than appealing the Valieva decision. There have been no changes to address the ongoing doping and they just expect everyone to forget about it and ignore the fact that they are doping.

 

[alice73]

Another key difference is that sports in the USA aren't state-sponsored and weaponized and used as propaganda.

Right. Russian athletes are used as the face of Putin’s regime and by extension of the war.

 

[Tavi]

With respect to the US / Iraq, I’m curious: did Iraq or another country ask the IOC to ban the US, and if so, did the IOC consider it and refuse?

Because if not, it’s just as irrelevant to whether Russia should be banned for invading Ukraine now as the fact that other countries currently in wars / conflicts haven’t asked the IOC to ban athletes from the countries they are at war with.

As the IOC and Ms Law Professor Xanthiki should know very well.

 

[Colonel Green]

Ha - I’m actually not surprised about this. The IOC says the athlete can’t “actively support” the war. Leaving aside the fact they haven’t defined what that means and we don’t know how it would be enforced (sworn statement?), it suggests that any athlete who participates in an international competition is, if not disloyal to Russia, then at least publicly not a strong supporter of the government that funds their training. Which I can’t imagine Mr Putin would be too pleased about.

Right now children are literally being stolen from their parents (who are in turn being sent to jail) for opposing the war, to give a sense of what the Russian government's attitude is.

If the IOC was seeking to design a seeming compromise that nobody in Russia could ever actually take, they did a masterful job. If they were actually trying to create an avenue for the return of Russian athletes that would be widely used, LOL.

 

[Vagabond]

I love how the whole doping issue has been kind of ignored since the Olympics, other than appealing the Valieva decision. There have been no changes to address the ongoing doping and they just expect everyone to forget about it and ignore the fact that they are doping.

What would you like to see happen now, before the CAS renders its decision?

 

[Tavi]

Right now children are literally being stolen from their parents (who are in turn being sent to jail) for opposing the war, to give a sense of what the Russian government's attitude is.

If the IOC was seeking to design a seeming compromise that nobody in Russia could ever actually take, they did a masterful job. If they were actually trying to create an avenue for the return of Russian athletes that would be widely used, LOL.

I agree both that what Russia is doing to their own citizens & Ukraine is inexcusable and that the IOC’s “solution” is completely stupid.

I just can’t help myself from trying to tear apart their reasoning.

 

[Lanie]

Imo it's obvious the IOC gives 0 fcuks. They want Russian money. They'll find any loopholes available so Russian and Belarussian athletes can compete in 2024 and 2026. It disgusts me but is not surprising one bit. They'll get away with it over and over as they have done with doping. The IOC is enabling and supporting invasion, murder, and all of the rest of the horrors the Ukrainian people are experiencing.

Insofar as skating--I have not missed the Russians one bit. The sport's been a lot more enjoyable.

 

[coppertop1]

With respect to the US / Iraq, I’m curious: did Iraq or another country ask the IOC to ban the US, and if so, did the IOC consider it and refuse?

Because if not, it’s just as irrelevant to whether Russia should be banned for invading Ukraine now as the fact that other countries currently in wars / conflicts haven’t asked the IOC to ban athletes from the countries they are at war with.

As the IOC and Ms Law Professor Xanthiki should know very well.

No. I don't think Iraq is even a member of the IOC. I mean, yes, the Iraqi War unethical in so many ways but it's not comparable to what Russia is doing. It's just more false equivalencies and strawmen

 

[reut]

What would you like to see happen now, before the CAS renders its decision?

But what happened with "initial doping problem" (the one that caused them to be without flag/anthem)? I mean I thought it was some kind of "trial period" for them, but they failed it, no? Or only when Valieva's case is decided we can conclude that?

 

[reut]

No. I don't think Iraq is even a member of the IOC.

They are:
https://olympics.com/ioc/iraq

 

[coppertop1]

They are:
https://olympics.com/ioc/iraq

Oh, ok. Thanks for the correction

 

[Dobre]

Regarding the money. Should there not be efforts made right now to isolate the IOC leadership & the organization from accepting any funding from the Russian government, Russian television, or Russian sponsors?

 

[skatingguy]

Oh, ok. Thanks for the correction

Basically every widely recognized independent country is a member of the IOC - the only countries that aren't members of the IOC are small states with limited or no international recognition that only geography geeks have even heard of.

 

[Vagabond]

But what happened with "initial doping problem" (the one that caused them to be without flag/anthem)? I mean I thought it was some kind of "trial period" for them, but they failed it, no? Or only when Valieva's case is decided we can conclude that?

I think that, at a minimum, the appeal process needs to play out to have a conclusion that Russia failed that would afford the IOC and ISU a basis on which to act.

 

[caseyedwards]

No. I don't think Iraq is even a member of the IOC. I mean, yes, the Iraqi War unethical in so many ways but it's not comparable to what Russia is doing. It's just more false equivalencies and strawmen

Iraq was us so much worse than Ukraine it’s not even close

 

[peibeck]

Ha - I’m actually not surprised about this. The IOC says the athlete can’t “actively support” the war. Leaving aside the fact they haven’t defined what that means and we don’t know how it would be enforced (sworn statement?), it suggests that any athlete who participates in an international competition is, if not disloyal to Russia, then at least publicly not a strong supporter of the government that funds their training. Which I can’t imagine Mr Putin would be too pleased about.

I think that's why Russia's response to this proposal was to say it was "unacceptable."

Plus I'd imagine it could potentially be dangerous (in Russia) for athletes who would gladly compete under these guidelines. Plutonium cocktails or leaping from balconies might be their fate if they defy the regime.

 

[coppertop1]

I think that's why Russia's response to this proposal was to say it was "unacceptable."

Plus I'd imagine it could potentially be dangerous (in Russia) for athletes who would gladly compete under these guidelines. Plutonium cocktails or leaping from balconies might be their fate if they defy the regime.

Anonymous reason why not letting them back is a better option

 

[airgelaal]

I think that's why Russia's response to this proposal was to say it was "unacceptable."

Plus I'd imagine it could potentially be dangerous (in Russia) for athletes who would gladly compete under these guidelines. Plutonium cocktails or leaping from balconies might be their fate if they defy the regime.

Come on. They always answer like that and always agree with everything. They just want to pretend they're doing the world a favor by agreeing.

 

[TAHbKA]

Have an impression the MOC is trying to justify Kasatkina participating whatever she chooses to participate. Hope by 2026 the rules will be erm... better phrased

 

[caseyedwards]

Won’t you go to hell with all your conditions and recommendations, dear IOC? I will not let any ‘international commission’ analyze my views and beliefs, and decide whether to let me go to the World Cup. Go and race yourselves then. And I can just repeat what I’ve been saying for this whole year: We will overcome all difficulties. Certainly and without a doubt,” Stepanova wrote in a Telegram post.

Russian Olympic champion hits back at IOC

Veronika Stepanova has suggested the committee should “go to hell” with its recommendations

www.rt.com

 

[caseyedwards]

Right. Russian athletes are used as the face of Putin’s regime and by extension of the war.

Yes but they are VICTIMS of this repression

 

[ChelleC]

Yes but they are VICTIMS of this repression

The athelets who are the true victims are the Ukrainian atheletes who have died defending their country against Russia's senseless invasion.

 

[Firedancer]

What would you like to see happen now, before the CAS renders its decision?

There is no question she failed the doping test. RUSADA already concluded she committed a doping violation. All CAS needs to decide is the punishment so there is no need to wait for the CAS decision to conclude there is continued doping.

It should be part of any conditions for a return to competition. To start with all Russian athletes should be subject to significantly increased testing in competition and even more so out of competition. Testing should be conducted by outside officials and testing should include blood and hair. If Russia does not want to comply they don’t have to come back.

 

[Dobre]

The athelets who are the true victims are the Ukrainian atheletes who have died defending their country against Russia's senseless invasion.

And lost their homes, their rinks & training facilities, their at-home coaching teams, the places that should be training the Ukrainian athletes of tomorrow. Let the government-funded Russian athletics budget pay to rebuild what that government has destroyed.

 

[Jammers]

The IOC is the sports equivalent of the Untied Nations. Both are toothless and weak and at the first sight of defiance they cave in.

 

[Vagabond]

There is no question she failed the doping test. RUSADA already concluded she committed a doping violation. All CAS needs to decide is the punishment so there is no need to wait for the CAS decision to conclude there is continued doping.

The problem is that common or garden variety doping isn’t enough to warrant sanctions against the Russian Olympic Committee. It has got to be state-sponsored doping, and RUSADA didn't establish that it had occurred. In fact, RUSADA's minimal sanction for Valieva may itself be evidence of state-sponsored doping, and the CAS needs to consider that.

 

[Marco]

So if these athletes are neutral and do not compete representing Russia / Belarus, does it mean there is no quota / restriction on the number of entries? i.e there can be 10 of these athelets at Worlds?! Do they enter Euros?

 

[MacMadame]

I think the ISU needs to tread very carefully for the time being. Who knows what international sentiment will be like in a year, but I could imagine more than few fans at some GPFs vocally booing the likes of MishGal, TarMor, SinKats, Kondratiuk, etc who have been very public and open in their support of the war. At best, the ISU and GP host commission would be wise to make sure any Russian skaters are assigned to CoC and the Asian JGPs.

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

As I have mentioned before, as of 2018, Russian television was showing exhibition programs with young (Novice or lower) ice dance couples, along with commentary by or vignette interviews with the likes of Alexei Yagudin and Tatyana Tarasova. If programming this is still going on and there is even a whiff of pro-war propaganda, there are a lot of support persons who would fail to meet the criteria for being allowed to come to Paris.

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