Follow usThe International Olympic Committee appealed on Thursday to Ukraine to give their athletes the chance to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Commitee President Thomas Bach said the Olympic body would support “every Ukrainian athlete” who wanted to take part in games’ qualifying events.
“We want to make it possible for every Ukrainian athlete to qualify now and participate in the Olympic Games. We will support every Ukrainian athlete in their preparation and participation in any competition that they want to take part in – so that they can make the Ukrainian people proud,” he said.
Ukraine in March banned its national sports teams from competing in Olympic, non-Olympic and Paralympic events that include Russian and Belarusian competitors.
Kyiv wanted IOC to ban any athlete from Belarus and Russia to compete in Paris, but it didn’t happen, which angered Ukraine.
“The Ukrainian athletes are being sanctioned by their own government for the war that has been started by the Russian and Belarusian governments. It is hard to understand why”, Bach added.
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