© Copyright – 2023 – Athletics Illustrated
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) continues to support the illegal war in Ukraine by pushing forward with its agenda to include Russian and Belarusian athletes in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
The IOC released a statement Wednesday saying that the IOC “cannot prevent wars,” only build bridges.
However, IOC President Thomas Bach contradicts himself with these statements. For example, just one year ago, at the beginning of the Russian attack on Ukraine he said, “…calling on all sporting organisations to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials from competitions and stop the two nations from hosting events.
Over Twitter, Wladimir Klitschko addresses Thomas Bach directly, about the killing as well as the raping of women in Ukraine.
Today russians have the gold medal in war crimes, deportation of children and rape of women. You can’t put your @Olympics emblem on these crimes dear Thomas Bach. @iocmedia #RoadToParis2024 #StopTheWar pic.twitter.com/v9ohDb13xe
— Klitschko (@Klitschko) January 30, 2023
Then there was a turnaround in attitude one month ago as Bach and the IOC announced that they want to include Russian and Belarusian athletes in Paris. Even though the Paris mayor does not agree. Even though 34 countries, in writing, demand it does not happen.
Something has changed for Bach and the IOC between the beginning of the war and one-month ago. Perhaps the Russians or specifically Russian President Vladimir Putin have pressured Bach.
Whatever has changed, Bach is adamant and an apparent turncoat.
What happened to the following statement from 2022? “With no end in sight to the fighting after one year of bloodshed, the IOC reiterates its condemnation of the war in Ukraine, which is a blatant violation of the Olympic Truce that was in effect at the time, and the Olympic Charter.”
And: “For this reason, the IOC sanctioned the Russian and Belarusian states and Governments, who are solely responsible for this war, in an unprecedented way – no international sports events organised in Russia and Belarus; no flag, anthems or other national symbols whatsoever displayed; and no government or state officials accredited for any international sports events.”
One year later, it has changed to this:
“…the Olympic Games can set an example for a world where everyone respects the same rules and one another.
“They can inspire us to solve problems by building bridges, leading to better understanding among people.
“They can open the door to dialogue and peace-building in ways that exclusion and division do not. Give peace a Chance.”
It is a desperate measure to borrow a phrase from someone who sought peace when it was coined in July of 1969; to coopt one’s own morals with that phrase as a message to by proxy support the Russian attack on Ukraine.
Give Peace a Chance? How dare Bach and the IOC.