Ukraine ‘very concerned’ over Russian Olympics call: Sports minister

PARIS: The Ukrainian government is “very concerned” by the call from sports federations and National Olympic Committees to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete at next year´s Paris Olympics, its acting sports minister has told AFP.

Matviy Bidnyi said Kyiv was concerned that the move gave the impression that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) “does not want to demonstrate the necessary leadership in the matter of Olympic fairness and justice.”

Bidnyi -- who replaced his former boss Vadym Gutzeit when he was fired in November -- was reacting after the request to the IOC on Tuesday considerably boosted the hopes of Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutral athletes in Paris.

The IOC is yet to make a final ruling on whether competitors from Russia and Belarus, a key ally of Moscow in its Ukraine offensive, will be permitted to take part in the Games that run from July 26 to August 11.