The International Olympic Committee around President Thomas Bach (69) recommends that Russian and Belarusian athletes be allowed back to international competitions. Under a neutral flag, without anthem and symbols.
There is outrage in German politics with a view to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris!
► The responsible Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (52, SPD) to BILD: “Giving the warmonger Putin the propaganda stage betrays all the values of sport. World sport once stood for peace and understanding.” The IOC is “on the completely wrong side”: “It accepts the boycott of Ukraine in favor of the participation of Russian athletes.”
video-heading">Outrage at IOC President Bach Russia and Belarus back to the Olympics?
► FDP defense expert Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (65) to BILD: “Disgraceful and a mockery of the dead Ukrainian coaches and athletes. The international understanding that Thomas Bach so much invokes probably only applies when it comes to his well-known contacts with international dictators.”
► Her colleague, the sports policy spokesman for the FDP parliamentary group Philipp Hartewig (28), told BILD: “In view of the ongoing atrocities in Ukraine and the expected propaganda even when starting under a neutral flag, the complete exclusion would have been the logical answer.”
► MEP Daniel Freund (38, Greens) to BILD: “Russian athletes are welcome to participate. But only if Putin has completely withdrawn from Ukraine.”
► CDU politician Thorsten Frei (49): “Pure cynicism! The IOC accepts with approval that athletes from Russia and Ukraine compete in competitions, who may soon face each other at the front with guns in their hands.”
Revoke Bach’s diplomatic passport!
The human rights officer of the Union faction Michael Brand (49, CDU) is now demanding serious consequences. Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (42, Greens) should withdraw Bach’s diplomatic passport:
“Anyone who, like Bach, despises German and European values so much and puts themselves so totally in the service of dictatorships and now even wanted war criminals like Putin, has forfeited their right to a German diplomatic passport.”
Background: Thomas Bach is in possession of two diplomatic passports valid until August 28, 2023 and August 17, 2023.
A diplomatic passport brings considerable advantages when traveling internationally, because the holders are usually exempt from the visa requirement. Diplomatic passports should only be issued in the public interest.
In a vote on Bild.de, 83 percent were AGAINST the IOC recommendation (as of yesterday evening).
The associations make the final decision on approval. Track and field athletes and swimmers B. reject Russian participants.
