Sports chiefs face losing battle to keep sport separate from politics
IOC president Kirsty Coventry's desire is that "politics does not take over on the field of play", but Ukraine and former executives from her organisation have told AFP that politics and sport remain inseparable."They can only do so if we keep sport strictly neutral ground, if politics does not take over on the field of play," she added.
IOC president Kirsty Coventry insists that sports must remain separate from politics, but Ukrainian and Russian athletes competing in the upcoming Youth Olympics in Dakar present a challenge to this stance. Despite the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia, 13 Russian athletes will be allowed to participate alongside their national flag and anthem, marking a first since the 2020 Winter Youth Games.
Ukrainian Sports Minister Matviy Bidnyi argues that any return of Russian athletes should wait until the war ends, international law is fully restored, and abducted Ukrainian children are returned home. Former IOC marketing executive Terrence Burns contends that sport has always been intertwined with politics, while Bidnyi warns that removing bans on Russia would send a dangerous signal to potential aggressors.
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