At a meeting with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the head of the Norwegian athletes’ committee, Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen, shared her views on behalf of the committee. The athletes’ committee represents the interests and views of elite athletes who play sports organized by sports clubs and special associations in the Norwegian Sports Confederation. Jacobsen is said to have recognized the challenges the brutality of the war creates in the sports world, but at the same time expressed that athletes should not be excluded on the basis of which passport they hold. This is stated by several sources. Yesterday, the IOC issued a statement in which they claimed that the “vast majority” of athlete representatives want Russia and Belarus to return to international competitions. news has repeatedly tried to get in touch with Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen. Wednesday evening she was busy at work. On Thursday, she did not respond to the inquiries. The other members of the performance committee refer to Jacobsen. When news asks questions about the Norwegian position of the Swedish biathlete Sebastian Samuelsson, he shares the opinion that the Norwegian athlete committee is among the large majority who want Russia and Belarus back. Swedish star: – No one said clearly from Samuelsson tells news that he was surprised by the number of representatives who wanted Russia and Belarus back in international sports. The Swede is known for getting involved in sports politics and was quick to react when compatriot Pernilla Wiberg thought it was wrong that the Russians were banned in December. Samuelsson represented the International Biathlon Union during the meetings with the IOC and experienced that the vast majority – as it appears in Wednesday’s statement – want a return of Russian and Belarusian athletes. He says that there were many people at the meeting, but that there seemed to be a consensus that they must find a way back as neutral performers. SURPRISED: Sebastian Samuelsson was surprised by how many people wanted Russia and Belarus back in sports. Photo: Hanne Skjellum / news – No one said clearly. We were the ones who did it, says Samuelsson to news. The Swedish star claims there were some people who thought about how it should be carried out, but the impression was crystal clear. Most wanted to give the Russians and Belarusians the green light. Then Samuelsson countered: – We expressed that we did not think they should be welcome back. We talked about the Olympic peace which has been broken three times, all times by Russia. Only Russia has broken it. If it exists, there must be consequences. They broke it in 2008, 2014 and now in 2022. Samuelsson points out that IOC President Thomas Bach was present during the entire meeting. When the Olympics in Beijing were opened, the German sports leader gave a speech in which he called for peace in the world. But Russia broke the Olympic peace by attacking Georgia in 2008, occupying the Crimean peninsula in 2014 and invading Ukraine in 2022. FIS has not changed its position NO CHANGE: Røste sees no reason for the Russians to return. Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB The International Skiing and Snowboarding Federation (FIS) has previously said that they will follow the IOC’s decisions on the banning of Russian and Belarusian athletes. Norway’s FIS board member, Erik Røste, says that the matter has not been discussed again. Last time the topic was raised, the federation decided to ban all Russian and Belarusian athletes this season. Røste says that FIS has not called a new meeting about the ban. Røste says that in his eyes there has not been a change since the union decided to ban. – In my opinion, there is no reason for Russians to return again. I have said that and I will repeat it. It is only when the war is over that we can talk about wanting Russian and Belarusian athletes back in my view, Røste tells news. Member of the IOC’s executive committee, Kristin Kloster Aasen, tells news that the IOC ended up in a dilemma when several countries wanted to set the conditions for Russian and Belarusian participation. On the one hand, to show solidarity with Ukraine and the importance of the independence of sport. – In our task and our mandate, global sports participation is a premise. This means that the athletes should not only compete against athletes from countries they like. We believe that it has an independent value, says Kloster Aasen to news. She says that the IOC is now working to find out how athletes from Russia and Belarus “can come back and compete, as individual, neutral athletes who represent themselves and not the country they come from”. – Sees no change NISO is a trade union for approximately 1,500 members divided into handball, football, ice hockey and individual sports. Leader, Erlend Hanstveit, believes that it is a dangerous signal that the IOC sends out when they open up Russian and Belarusian participation. CRITICAL: Former Brann player and current NISO leader Erlend Hanstveit believes the IOC is sending out a dangerous signal. Photo: Vegard Wivestad Grøtt / NTB – We are very critical of the signals that are now coming. I see no change in the basis of the decision made after Russia invaded Ukraine. The war is raging in full swing and we see no reason why that decision should be shaken, says Hanstveit to news. He says that the subject has been hotly debated among the members. – I find that our members are very unanimous in this view. All our members identify with the situation of Ukrainian athletes. Banning Russian and Belarusian athletes were good decisions and they are still good decisions, says the NISO leader.
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Jacobsen advocated a return to Russia in the IOC meeting – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
