More than 50 Belarusian athletes and sports figures addressed the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The appeal mentions the statement of the IOC dated December 25 about the possible participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, if these athletes did not actively support the war in Ukraine.

Thus, those athletes who did not oppose the regimes and the war could participate in the competition in a neutral status.

On this occasion, a discussion began in the world.

It was joined by the Belarusian Sports Solidarity Fund.

The authors of the appeal believe that only those Belarusian and Russian athletes who have clearly condemned the war can be admitted to the Olympic competitions under a neutral flag.

The appeal was signed by more than 50 Belarusian athletes and sports figures, but for reasons of security, their surnames are not announced.

Controversy surrounding the IOC statement

Last week, the International Olympic Committee said that it was ready to include Russian and Belarusian athletes in the list of participants of the Olympics, provided that they used a neutral flag, and gave them a chance to participate in qualifying competitions, which prompted Kyiv to launch an international campaign to prevent Russian and Belarusian athletes from participating in the Olympics. -2024.

Ukraine hopes to gain broad international support for a complete ban on the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024 for military aggression, the Minister of Sports of Ukraine said.

In an interview with Reuters, Minister of Sports of Ukraine

stated that the idea of ​​possible participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in the Olympic Games, which will be held in 2024 in Paris, is unacceptable.

Vadim Gutzeit, a former Olympic champion in fencing, said that the idea of ​​allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete in the Olympics even under a neutral flag is unacceptable.

"This is impossible for us at a time when there is a full-scale war, when our athletes, our soldiers are defending our Motherland," he said.

Moscow said on January 31 that it would welcome any move by the IOC to allow Russians to compete in the Olympics.

But a few hours later, the IOC declared that it supports the sanctions imposed against Moscow and Minsk in connection with military aggression against Ukraine.

"Sanctions against the Russian and Belarusian states and their governments are non-negotiable.

They were unanimously approved at the recent Olympic Summit on December 9, 2022," reads the message posted on the IOC's Twitter account.

The sanctions include a ban on inviting Russian and Belarusian officials to international sports events, as well as a ban on holding international competitions in both countries.

The President of Ukraine,

, said that "Russian politicization of sports will invariably mean the justification of terror."

According to Vadim Gutzeit, at least 220 Ukrainian athletes and coaches died in the war.