"Cannot Tolerate As Long As Ukraine War Continues"
IOC Does Not Respond Immediately... Cautious of Boycott Spread
[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Controversy is escalating as Latvia has officially protested to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), threatening to boycott the 2024 Paris Olympics if Russian and Belarusian athletes participate. While the IOC is considering allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under neutral status, opposition from countries neighboring Russia continues, raising concerns that the number of boycotting nations may increase.
According to the Associated Press on the 1st (local time), the Latvian Olympic Committee issued a statement declaring that it would boycott the Paris Olympics next year if Russian and Belarusian athletes participate. Georges Tikmers, chairman of the Latvian Olympic Committee, strongly protested in the statement, saying, "As long as the war continues in Ukraine, it is absolutely unacceptable for Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in the Olympics under any flag."
Chairman Tikmers further stated, "Our athletes cannot participate in Olympic qualifying events where Russian and Belarusian athletes have not been expelled, and athletes from these two countries are not allowed to participate not only in the Olympics but also in all international sports competitions."
The reason Latvia is strongly opposing the IOC's stance on Russian and Belarusian athlete participation, following Ukraine, is known to be due to their shared history under the former Soviet Union. Like Ukraine, Latvia also gained independence with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
The IOC has not yet issued an official response to the Latvian Olympic Committee's statement but is reportedly highly cautious about the spread of boycotts. Previously, the IOC announced that it was considering allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate under neutral nationality status and stated that these athletes should not be discriminated against based solely on their passports. Most countries, including the United States except Ukraine, either supported or remained silent on the IOC's decision.
However, with Latvia officially declaring a boycott, the controversy is expected to widen. It is known that neighboring countries of Russia, such as Poland and Finland, have also opposed the IOC's decision, raising the possibility of an increase in boycotting nations. These countries are concerned that the IOC's decision will be exploited as part of Russia's national image laundering strategy, known as 'Sportswashing.'
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Olympic Committee, which officially protested and declared a boycott of the Paris Olympics ahead of Latvia, announced that it will hold talks with the IOC on the 3rd.
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