– I hope we can make it happen. I also think it is a signal of the importance of the sport managing to preserve the athletes’ right to compete regardless of politics, says Kristin Kloster. She is a board member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and talks about Russian athletes for the Olympics in Paris. And to clarify immediately: the IOC itself uses the term “neutral athletes” for the Russian athletes who are eligible for the Olympics. These athletes will not actually represent Russia or the Russian Olympic Committee in the Olympics. The neutral athletes we are talking about in this case are thus athletes with Russian passports who may be allowed to participate in the Olympics, despite the war in Ukraine. Kloster is among those who have recommended the international special federations to include so-called neutral athletes in the sport. But not everyone agrees with the IOC. IOC MEMBERS: Kristin Kloster is an IOC member and also sits on the board of the International Olympic Committee. Here together with IOC member Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen at the sports council this summer. Photo: Geir Olsen / NTB On the way back in almost all sports This weekend, the IOC is gathered at a giant conference center in Mumbai, India. The area has almost 30 different entrances and is so large that the press are driven in golf carts from the entrance to the press centre. On Saturday afternoon, the IOC leaders and a long line of guests walked past a golden fountain and into the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Center in Mumbai. There they have the opening ceremony before the congress, which begins on Sunday. OPENING CEREMONY: In connection with the conference center where the IOC congress takes place, the IOC had its opening ceremony on Saturday evening. Photo: Halvor Ekeland / news As early as Thursday, word came that the Russian Olympic Committee has been suspended from the IOC, but Russian athletes can still participate in the Olympics in Paris next summer, albeit only as neutral athletes. The guidelines of the IOC set a number of requirements for these athletes: No Russian flags or national anthems. Athletes who have supported the war are not allowed to participate. The athletes must have been adequately tested for doping. No athletes affiliated with the military may participate. No Russian teams may participate. The international special federations can choose whether they want to follow these recommendations or not. They are also the ones who must ensure that the above requirements are followed if the athletes are to be included. At the same time, they again stood behind the position they took in March, when they made it clear that the IOC will make a decision on whether athletes with Russian and Belarusian passports can participate in the 2024 and 2026 Olympics at the appropriate time. BIG BREAK: The IOC press center is only a tiny part of the giant conference center where the IOC is now discussing whether Russian athletes should be allowed to participate in the Olympics. Photo: Halvor Ekeland / news A survey carried out by news shows that per now only three international special federations have still banned Russian athletes. This figure does not include team sports. There, the IOC has decided that no Russian teams will be allowed to participate. The three associations are the Athletics Association, the Equestrian Association and the Surfing Association. After news carried out a similar survey in May, eight new special associations have agreed to neutral athletes. – Do you think it will be perceived as a victory in Russia and Belarus if their athletes are allowed to participate in the Olympics, Kloster? – This is a very demanding situation for everyone. It is a dilemma on both sides. We have intended to preserve the athletes’ rights and hopefully it will then be that someone does not take a political advantage of that position. She repeatedly emphasizes that the IOC’s solidarity lies with Ukraine. At the same time, she wants the Olympics to continue to be a place where athletes can compete across all national borders. – Otherwise, it will be the case that sport becomes a place where you only compete with those you like, and we believe that the world is losing out. But it is demanding, says Kloster. The International Paralympic Committee has agreed to neutral athletes in the Paralympics in 2024. It is currently unclear whether the IOC will follow suit. Questioning the selection process So the question is: Does this work? At a meeting between the IOC and the athletes last week, this was among the questions discussed. Among other things, an athlete asked the IOC president questions about a neutral athlete who is said to have been in the Russian military a short time ago, but who has nevertheless been allowed to participate in sports. The head of the Norwegian athlete committee, Magnus Nedregotten, emphasizes that the most important thing for them is that you have clear support and solidarity with the Ukrainian athletes. – We think it is difficult to see that the neutrality platform is safeguarded in a safe enough way, not least because there are such large differences in the resources the international special associations have at their disposal, he says and adds: – Some have a large apparatus to handle and find information about Russian participants that should be neutral, while others may not have the same resources to find out in a good enough way. CRITICAL: Head of the Norwegian athletes’ committee, Magnus Nedregotten. Photo: Nariman El-Mofty / AP That is not the opinion of IOC member Kloster. – I think the special associations are doing a very solid job of looking at how these recommendations suit them. They are the highest professional authority within their sport, and we have great respect for that. As for those who have implemented the recommendations, things have gone smoothly without any objectionable or unpleasant incidents, claims Kloster. The IOC’s argument is that athletes should not be discriminated against on the basis of passports. The Olympic idea is that people should meet in the sports arena, regardless of nationality, ethnicity, religion and so on. Few disagree with that idea, yet the inclusion of Russian athletes faces opposition. – I think that superior, it is a good argument that you should not discriminate solely on the basis of a passport. But in this situation here, it has proven not to be sufficient. We have a situation where a nation has repeatedly exceeded the trust that has been shown to them, says Nedregotten in the Norwegian athletes’ committee. – May result in chaos There are therefore some special federations which have not yet allowed neutral athletes. This is not only about the Olympics, but also, for example, the World Cup in winter sports. Among other things, Russian athletes are still banned from the International Ski Federation. With the recommendations of the IOC, and with the decision of the IPC recently, that may change. FEAR CHAOS: FIS board member Erik Røste. Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB – It could result in quite a bit of chaos, says Erik Røste, former ski president and board member of the International Ski and Snowboard Association (FIS) to news. He continues: – It will be very difficult. I also fear, not only in terms of skiing, but in general that you will have backlash that will be demanding. It is a terribly difficult matter. FIS has still not discussed Russian participation for the coming season, Røste points out. – I think they will laugh at us In addition, several news have spoken to are concerned about Russia’s doping history. They fear that these athletes cannot be trusted to have been properly tested. It is the international special federations or an independent doping body that are now responsible for testing athletes from Russia. Among those reacting is Jim Carrabre. He is a former doping hunter and has, among other things, served 15 years on the board of the International Biathlon Union (IBU). DOP HUNTERS: Jim Carrabre. Photo: news – I find it shocking that they are even thinking about letting Russian athletes go to Paris. How can they say they have an effective anti-doping system around some of those athletes? It is not possible to control, says Carrabre. – So you fear doped athletes? – Yes of course. They will just laugh and say that “they can’t control us now”. Who wants to go to Russia (to test, editor’s note)? He also fears that Russian athletes who are actually allowed to participate, despite the fact that they participate as neutral athletes, will be used in Russian propaganda and that the Russian authorities and media will use these athletes as an example of how the world is now slowing down on sanctions and thus legitimizes the war. – I think they will laugh at us and say: “Look how stupid they are. We can do whatever we want, they have no way of controlling us.” The Russians are still going to win medals. They will probably get fewer athletes, but those athletes will win many medals. “It shows the greatness of our nation,” is the approach they are going to take.
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– They will laugh at us and say “look how stupid we are” – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
