Pozdnyakov alleges “Russia-phobic hysteria” on the eve of the Assembly of European Olympic Committees

IOC President Thomas Bach warned against governments influencing decisions on the participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus but stressed that the sanctions came as Russia violated the Olympic Truce approved by the United Nations.

This and other reflections exposed by Bach at the General Assembly of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) will surely be ratified again during the opening of the General Assembly of the European Olympic Committees in Skopje, North Macedonia, this Friday and Saturday.

In response to IOC recommendations, the European Olympic Association has banned Russian athletes and officials from participating in the European Youth Olympic Festival in Banska Bystrica, Slovakia, next July. The EOCs also decided that Russian and Belarusian individuals who hold a position on their Executive Board or Commissions will not be “temporarily” invited to attend their meetings.

Twenty-four hours before the European forum, the president of the Russian Olympic Committee Stanislav Pozdnyakov called the ban on Russians from participating in the EOC General Assembly a “hysterical decision”.

During a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Russian Olympic Committee, Pozdnyakov alluded to Bach’s statements to ASOIF. The Russian director pointed to “direct” pressure from Western countries on the Olympic movement, and “Russia-phobic hysteria” when making decisions aimed at isolating Russian sport.

“There is public speculation and attempts to intensify anti-Russian hysteria. We do not respond to provocations, but we are categorically opposed to anyone exploiting our silence for counterproductive purposes. We will respond with action. But, in the spirit of friendship and respect,” Pozdnyakov commented.

Pozdnyakov said he was convinced that this position of foreign colleagues “must change over time.” But meanwhile he acknowledged that since the beginning of the “special military operation” the two global problems that most affect national sport are the restrictions on the participation of Russian athletes and representatives in international competitions and the uncertainty with the pre-Olympic selection for the Olympic Games in Paris 2024.

The “special military operation” is the name given by President Vladimir Putin to the Russian invasion of Ukraine that has already exceeded 100 days with thousands of deaths, and harmful effects on world peace and economy.

Opening the ASOIF General Assembly, Bach returned to the “dilemma” facing the IOC following its recommendations to International Federations as the Olympic body focuses on ensuring humanitarian aid to Ukraine’s war-torn sports community.

Bach insisted that the IOC ban on Russian and Belarusian teams was imposed because Russia violated the Olympic Truce agreed by the United Nations ahead of Beijing 2022.

“All those who are supporting the war can and should be sanctioned, but those who do not support the war, their rights must be respected, under our own rules and the rules of international law, there is no sanction and there should be no sanction for have a passport”, declared the Olympic leader.

Bach claimed that the exclusion of athletes from Russia and Belarus had been taken as a protective measure. The meeting of the European National Olympic Committees will coincide with the 30th anniversary of the Macedonian Olympic Committee and will hear the first report of its president, the Greek Spyros Capralos.

The European Games 2023, Milano Cortina 2026 and Paris 2024 will be on the agenda as well as a report by the president of the Ukrainian Olympic Committee and IOC member Sergei Bubka.