MOSCOW: European countries’ initiative to bar athletes representing Russia and Belarus from all international sports tournaments is a blatant violation of the law and is aimed at sowing discord among the Olympic Movement, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Friday.
Zakharova noted that on Feb. 10, Britain is set to host a meeting of sports ministers representing European countries to discuss the issue of whether to grant athletes from Russia and Belarus the right to participate in future international sports tournaments.
"In fact, the task of the notorious Russophobe-minded group is to launch another campaign against our athletes, calling to boycott the competitions otherwise," she said.
"We view such initiatives from rabid and Russophobe-minded countries as not just an attempt to exert pressure on the governing international sports organization, but also as an attempt to cause a rift in the international Olympic Movement," the official added.
This, she said, is a gross violation of the generally recognized norms of international law. “It is also in stark contradiction to Russia’s principled position, which traditionally stands for the equal development of sports cooperation.”
The diplomat also said that Russia had always been one of the most important members of the international sports movement and the Olympic Movement while the country’s athletes are known around the world for their professionalism and outstanding athletic skills.
Source: Philippines News Agency
