German sports minister wants close IOC scrutiny

MUNICH: German sports minister Nancy Faeser called on Saturday on the International Olympic Committee to “examine very precisely” the backgrounds of Russian athletes and to exclude those who supported the war on Ukraine from the 2024 Olympics.

On Friday, the IOC, headed by Thomas Bach, a German, gave the green light for Russians and Belarusians to compete at next year´s Paris Games as neutrals, outside of team events and as long as they did not actively support the war against Ukraine.

“The warmonger Putin must not be allowed to use the Olympic Games in Paris for his propaganda under any circumstances,” said Faeser, who is also Interior Minister, in a press release.

“That the Russian teams remain excluded and that flags and symbols are banned is the bare minimum we can expect from the IOC.”

“It is now up to the International Olympic Committee and the international federations to examine very precisely whether individual Russian and Belarussian sportsmen and women should be excluded if they have in any way supported the Russian war of aggression, or if they have any connection whatsoever with the Russian government or the Russian army,” said Faeser.