Tradition Secretary Lucy Frazer mentioned final yr the Worldwide Olympic Committee had not gone far sufficient, however now says the UK is proud of the situations set by the competitors's organisers.
From Tim Baker, political reporter
Friday, April 19, 2024, 5:44 p.m., United Kingdom
The British authorities is being accused of a U-turn after permitting Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate within the 2024 Olympics.
Final yr, Tradition Minister Lucy Frazer mentioned athletes who’re “funded by their states” or “who obtain funding or sponsorship straight from their states” can’t be thought-about impartial within the context of the invasion of Ukraine.
Britain is a part of a coalition of like-minded international locations that had known as for a ban on such athletes due to this funding.
However the authorities has now confirmed that it agrees with the Worldwide Olympic Committee (IOC) to permit Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete below a impartial banner on the upcoming Olympics Paris Video games.
Ms Frazer mentioned on Friday that these athletes would participate below the “strictest potential neutrality situations”.
Present political information: Sunak is accused of “critical assaults on disabled folks”.
After the Occasions reported this place earlier this month, there have been allegations of a authorities about-face on the difficulty.
Richard Caborn, who was sports activities minister between 2001 and 2007, mentioned: “It is a humiliating U-turn from Frazer after she made a robust case to the Council of Europe a yr in the past why the UK ought to help the entire ban.” Russian Athletes participating within the Paris Olympics.
In her speech final yr, Ms Frazer mentioned the IOC's suggestions “didn’t go far sufficient” and that a group of greater than 30 nations had expressed issues.
The federal government has rejected options it ought to change course after the IOC threatened to dam the UK from internet hosting Olympic qualifying occasions.
Ms Frazer mentioned on Friday that she and Sports activities Minister Stuart Andrew have been “personally dedicated to supporting Ukraine within the face of Putin's unlawful invasion”.
They mentioned it was as much as every sports activities federation, such because the IOC, to make its personal selections.
Ms Frazer added: “However our place is obvious. Putin’s regime doesn’t need to have its athletes representing their nation within the beginning blocks of races or on the rostrum at medal ceremonies.”
“This was by no means about punishing particular person Russians.” Belarusian Athlete.
“What we’re opposing are athletes competing from the states of Russia and Belarus.
“We proceed to strongly reject any involvement of the Russian and Belarusian states. Our coverage has by no means been an entire and complete ban on the participation of impartial athletes from Russia and Belarus.”
The minister identified that Russians and Belarusians may compete towards one another as neutrals in British tennis competitions.
She burdened that the federal government and coalition's efforts have been targeted on urging the Olympic organizers to “change their method, apply the strictest situations of neutrality and make sure that they’re rigorously applied.”
“After two years of concerted lobbying, they did this. And the result’s that the variety of athletes from Russia and Belarus anticipated to participate within the Olympics is within the tens, not the tons of.”
“For that reason, now we have written to the IOC and the Worldwide Paralympic Committee indicating that their last neutrality guidelines for Paris are consistent with the extensively accepted precept of making certain that Russia and Belarus should not represented as states in worldwide sport.”
The IOC expects as much as 54 Russian athletes to compete in Paris.
They can not compete in group occasions, can not compete in Russian colours or below the Russian flag, and medals should not listed collectively in a desk.
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The IOC leaves it as much as the person sports activities to resolve whether or not Russian and Belarusian athletes can even compete as neutrals – World Athletics, for instance, has issued an entire ban.