Estonian Olympic Committee hits out at IOC Belarus decision
The Estonian Olympic Committee has voiced its opposition to the IOC's recent decision to allow Belarusian athletes to compete under their national flag.
As long as Russia and its main ally Belarus continue attacking civilians and destroying infrastructure in Ukraine, the Estonian Olympic Committee (EOK) believes there is absolutely no place for Russian and Belarusian sports representatives within the Olympic and sports movement.
Up to now and following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Belarusian competitors had participated in events under a neutral flag. The Belarusian regime under Alexander Lukashenko is a strong ally of Russia, and back in 1997 the two countries founded a supranational "union state."
There is no place whatsoever for Belarusian and Russian sportspeople competing under the national flag of those two countries for as long as their militaries continue to attack civilians and destroy infrastructure in Ukraine, the EOK stated.
Despite talk of peace talks and a ceasefire, a war situation remains.
"Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine has not ended, while sport must not become a tool for normalizing aggression or creating the impression that everything in the world has returned to normal. The Olympic movement must stand for values, not convenient compromises," said acting EOK president Gerd Kanter.
While the IOC executive board ruled the easing of restrictions on Belarusian competitors, it did not extend that climbdown to Russian sportspeople.
"Nevertheless, we approve of today's decision by the IOC not to restore the rights of Russian athletes, coaches, and officials, primarily because Russia continues to systematically violate the Olympic Charter," Kanter, who took gold in the discus in Beijing in 2008, added.
The use of national symbols at international sporting events represents a direct instrument of soft power for aggressor states, aimed at normalizing unlawful actions and dividing the international sporting community, the EOK went on.
The EOK stressed that Estonia's sporting environment cannot be treated separately from geopolitical realities, adding that it is the committee's duty to protect Estonian athletes from situations, for instance appearing on the podium alongside a Russian competitor, in which they could be used for the propaganda interests of aggressor states.
The EOK says it rejects the normalization of aggressor states via flags, anthems, and symbols, but if Estonian athletes are required to compete against Russian or Belarusian athletes at events, there is no reason to withdraw from that competition.
The EOK is staying in close contact on the matter with its counterparts in the other Baltic states; together these organizations hope that the Olympic movement will remain firmly committed to its core values.
The IOC announced this week it "no longer recommends" restrictions on Belarusian athletes competing in events. This recommendation has not been extended to Russian nationals who are competing.
One of Belarus' most famous sports stars, world number one women's tennis player Aryna Sabalenka, has said she hopes to be able to compete under the Belarusian flag.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte
