© Copyright – 2023 – Athletics Illustrated
Russian and Chinese presidents Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping made it publicly known that they support Russian athletes in the Olympic Games. For Paris, they are seeking to have them compete as independents.
Putin called western nations out for politicising the Olympics. Meanwhile, they condemned western nations accusing them for using sport for “unseemly purposes.”
Meanwhile, the Chinese gave Putin their highest honour with the Friendship Medal.
“The parties welcome the relevant initiatives and decisions of the International Olympic Committee and the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), which jointly uphold Olympic values,” a joint statement reported by Russian state media TASS said.
And at the same time South African politician and leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters, Julius Malema, said that no one would arrest Putin in South Africa. The radical left-wing leader made the statement during a press conference.
Putin an apparent war criminal
June 8, 2018 — Xi Jinping awards Vladimir Putin with the Friendship Medal, China's highest order of honour pic.twitter.com/vxYFdMwou8
— COMBATE |🇵🇷 (@upholdreality) March 23, 2023
Putin was made a war criminal by the International Criminal Court and issued an arrest warrant for his alleged movement of children between Ukraine and Russia.
Malema has argued recently that certain white South African politicians should be arrested and France needs to leave Africa. Malema feels that even though political independence was acheived 60 years ago, they have a long way to go to be truly independent. He called out western politicians for their hypocracy. Malema also wants the South African president Cyril Ramaphosa to step down.
“We are not here to play, we are here to ask Ramaphosa to leave this house. We are here to demand an end to the load shedding, to ask Ramaphosa to step down and if he does not want to, we will force him to leave,” said Malema during a march to demonstrate against Ramaphosa. Ramaphosa has been accused of not having the ability to solve the mass unemployment issues going on in the country at this time.
Africans compare former US president Barack Obama dropping 60,000 bombs in the Middle-East while winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009 as an example of western hypocracy toward Russia and their war in Ukraine.
"Which mass campaign of the ANC was ever successful from its formation?… There was no ANC in the country in the '80s when the youth took over the streets." – EFF leader Julius Malema #Newzroom405 pic.twitter.com/BcVwFERd46
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) March 23, 2023
Politicising of sport
“The parties oppose the politicisation of sports, and hope to use the unique role of physical culture and sports to promote solidarity and peace.”
“The Chinese side supports the Russian initiative to host the Games of the Future international multi-sport tournament in Kazan in 2024,” the joint statement said.
“Of course, we are waiting for a delegation of Chinese athletes next spring in Kazan at the first international multi-sport tournament Games of the Future in innovative sports,” Putin added.
“Bilateral sports ties are acquiring special significance in the current difficult political conditions.
“We are talking about a very promising initiative that attracts young people, which we could promote together with our Chinese friends.”