Estonia and Lithuania condemn IOC's decision to allow Russian athletes to participate in Olympics
Estonia and Lithuania have criticized the admission of Russians to the 2024 Olympics (Photo: GettyImages)
The foreign ministers of Estonia and Lithuania condemned the decision of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to allow Russians to participate in the 2024 Olympic Games, according to the statement of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia Margus Tsahkna.
Tsahkna believes that allowing Russian athletes to participate in the Olympics without a flag "will not wash the blood off their hands."
"IOC decision goes against everything Olympism is about," he stated.
Allowing Russian athletes participate in the Olympics without a flag will not wash away the blood on their hands.#IOC decision goes against everything Olympism is about.
— Margus Tsahkna (@Tsahkna) December 8, 2023
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis also said that the Russian Federation was recruiting athletes for its "genocidal army."
"This is not neutrality, this is against everything the Olympics should stand for, " Landsbergis said.
Russia enlists sportsmen and women into its genocidal army. This is not neutrality, this is against everything the Olympics should stand for.
— Gabrielius Landsbergis (@GLandsbergis) December 8, 2023
IOC decision on the admission of Russian athletes to the 2024 Games
On December 8, the International Olympic Committee allowed athletes from Russia and Belarus to participate in the 2024 Olympic Games. They will compete under neutral status.
Ukraine, for its part, is considering a boycott of the Olympics if Russia and Belarus are allowed to participate. According to Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, our country and 34 other countries have formed a coalition that is ready to boycott the competition.
