©Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service/TASS
International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach needs to be investigated after what he said about the politicization of sports, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing.
Earlier, the IOC president said in a conversation with Russian pranksters Vladimir Kuznetsov ("Vovan") and Alexey Stolyarov ("Lexus") that the organization was keeping a close eye on any political statements made by Russian athletes, and Ukraine was helping them with this.
"It is necessary to carry out an internal investigation, perhaps even an external one, because everything related to the Olympic Games is of great journalistic interest, especially in Western countries. An investigation is necessary, it is important to know exactly how Thomas Bach is using the powers entrusted to him. Why do we hear about a conspiracy from a man who heads the IOC with a certain country in order not to allow athletes from another country to participate in international sports competitions? Why do we hear words that directly point to the dream, the desire that in reality turns into a politicization of sport, from a person who swore to obey completely different values?" the diplomat said.
Zakharova also called Bach's statements "a horrific revelation, a confession of how the post occupied by him is used in contradiction to all international legal norms promoting sport in the name of peace, development and cooperation." "All of this requires a deep, thorough analysis and investigation," the spokeswoman pointed out.
According to the diplomat, "people like Thomas Bach do a disservice to the world of sport, to the Olympic movement, they not only violate, but directly contradict global Olympism."
Russia accused International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach on Tuesday of taking part in a "conspiracy" with Ukraine to exclude its strongest athletes from this year's Paris Games.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova made the allegation after two Russian pranksters known as Vovan and Lexus published a recording of a conversation with Bach in which he was falsely led to believe he was speaking to an African sports official.
Bach said in the call that the IOC had established a special panel to monitor the media and the internet and ensure that Russian athletes who had made political statements in support of their government could not take part in the Olympics. "We have also offered to the Ukrainian side - not only offered, but asked them - to provide us with their knowledge of the behaviour of such (Russian) athletes or officials," Bach could be heard saying in English on the recording.
She added: "The relationship of IOC President Bach with the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine and its officials, and the admissions of a 'request to monitor Russian athletes' should be the subject of a thorough investigation."
Relations between Russia and the IOC have worsened sharply in the run-up to the Olympics, at which Russian and Belarusian athletes will compete as neutrals, without their flags and anthems, because of the war in Ukraine. They have also been banned from taking part in the opening parade.
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