Міністр молоді та спорту України, президент НОК України Вадим Гутцайт сьогодні, 27 березня, взяв участь у консультаційній нараді президента МОК із президентами НОКів світу.

Під час свого виступу президент НОК України акцентував увагу на важливості дотримання положень Олімпійської хартії, а також закликав всіх залишити в силі рекомендацію Виконкому МОК від 28 лютого 2022 року про відсторонення російських та білоруських спортсменів від участі в міжнародних спортивних змаганнях. 

ТЕКСТ ЗАЯВИ:

Statement of the Minister for Youth and Sports of Ukraine,

President of the NOC of Ukraine Vadym Guttsait

at the consultations of the IOC President with NOCs

(March, 27 2023, video conference)

Dear friends,

On behalf of the Ukrainian Olympic family, I want to thank to those who support us for your friendship and solidarity.

More than a year has passed since Russia with the support of Belarus attacked Ukraine violating the Olympic Truce.

The decisions and recommendations taken by the IOC to prevent Russian and Belarusian athletes from participating in international competitions were logical and absolutely fair.

Unfortunately, nothing has changed during this year.

262 Ukrainian athletes and coaches were killed, about 40,000 athletes were forced to move abroad among 7 million refugees. About 350 sports facilities were severely destroyed or damaged.

Dear colleagues,

Ukraine adheres to the principles of the Olympic Charter. Ukraine wants peace. Promotion of peace is a fundamental principle of Olympism.

Many try to compare the Russian-Ukrainian war to other conflicts worldwide.

Let’s see if this is really so. Especially taking into account the Olympic principles.

May I ask, if there is any other country in the world that violated Olympic Truce three times in a row (in 2008, 2014, 2022) by unleashing the unprovoked war?

-       None but Russia and Belarus.

Does any National Olympic Committee in the world supported the wars that were started in the world?

-       None, but Russian, Belarusian and may be Nazi Germany.

Does any of our Olympic teams have so many sergeants, lieutenants and majors of the Armed Forces, including one - Elena Isinbayeva whj was nominated and elected as the IOC Member?

-       None but Russia.

Real Russian and Belarusian Olympians those who fled the country and opposed to the war. They are real supporters of the Olympic Charter. What will be their destiny, President Bach?

Once again, I am emphasizing that many athletes of the Russian Olympic team are members of the Armed Forces of Russia who are killing Ukrainians and Russian Olympic Committee fully supports this war. This is the breach of Olympic Charter.

Violators of Olympic charter need to be sanctioned by the IOC until the war stopped. 

I also have another question to the President. Why when the members of the Russian Government are under the IOC sanctions, the Russian sports minister has meetings with the members of Olympic movement in Asia, including NOCs presidents?        

Dear friends,

Today many of you was speaking about the unity of Olympic movement. Ukraine wants to keep that unity.

First.

We heard today the positions of African and Asian regions, but there is no position of the European region.

I asked EOC to organize the broad discussion in order to elaborate in democratic and transparent way common and clear position of the European continent on this issue.

There was also the request of the Athletes Commission of the NOC of Ukraine to organize discussion with athletes and as far as I know, there was no meeting yet on this issue within EOC.

So, to keep Olympic unity, we need to complete all the procedures and consultations with all stakeholders, all regions.

Second.

A week ago, I sent letters to the IOC, NOCs and international federations addressing human rights issues.

I will not repeat it, but want to stress again that the conclusions of UN Special Rapporteurs about so-called discrimination of athletes of the aggressor countries are not complete and the IOC's reliance on them is unjustified and has no legal merit.

I have also sent a request to the newly-established IOC Advisory Committee on Human Rights.

We need to explore the human rights issues more, taking into account respective legal instruments and using holistic approach.

Third.

We need to see a draft recommendation of IOC on so-called “neutrality” to discuss it.

Considering all the above, Ukraine strongly urges to remain in force Recommendation of the IOC Executive Board of February 28, 2022 to suspend Russian and Belarusian athletes from participating in international sports competitions.