IOC rejects Russian demand that its athletes compete without restrictions

Have they cleaned up the doping?

The lengths they went to to cheat were incredible.

The lengths they went to to cheat were incredible.

And unforgivable.

Unless you're the IOC and Russia has enough money of course.

Russia needs to double or triple its bribe to the IOC. And make sure it's much larger than the bribe from Ukraine.

Everyone sadly knows money talks when it comes to the IOC. If these Russian serial dopers are permitted to compete it will be under a white flag. Suits them.

No Russian flag, anthem, colours or medal tally.

Athletes should not be punished or disadvantaged solely based on the passport they carry.

Why not? Almost all of these Russian athletes have been deathly quiet in their criticism of fascist Russias invasion of a sovereign nation and the slaughter of innocent civilians.

Athletes should not be punished or disadvantaged solely based on the passport they carry.

So let them compete under a non-Russian banner. That's not punishing them - they can still win glory. Nor is it disadvantaging them, as it only affects a country's medal count (which for Russia would be N/A).

Do you really think Russians watching back home will care about the flag....

As long as Russian athletes win, Russia will wins. A win for Russian athlete under some made up flag, will be seen directly as representing Russia.

Russian athletes cheat, inflate Russian egos back home, promote Putin aggression and Russian aggression.

Russian athletes= A representation of Russia itself! !

If you ask this Russian athletes what they think about Russia= Love and glory for mother Russia and greatness.

Do you really think Russians watching back home will care about the flag....

Yes. They care - a lot - it's why the state sponsored doping programs for all their Olympic athletes for decades until exposed. And you don't seem to understand how much authoritarian regimes care about image.

https://theconversation.com/how-authoritarian-rulers-manage-their-international-image-166778

https://journalofdemocracy.org/articles/how-authoritarians-inflate-their-image/

https://academic.oup.com/book/39376/chapter-abstract/339045155?redirectedFrom=fulltext

The have kidnapped music, arts, sports, etc. So much for the true spirit of friendship.

Athletes should not be punished or disadvantaged solely based on the passport they carry.

And people should not be killed, tortured, kidnapped or raped solely based on the passport they carry

I'm having difficulty forming an opinion about this.

On the one hand, yeah Russia does deserve to get kicked out of pretty much everything for what it is doing to Ukraine. I get that point of view and sympathize with it.

On the other hand, this feels like an ad hoc and somewhat arbitrary decision. If it is going to throw countries out for invading each other - which isn't a bad idea in itself - that principle should be encoded and consistently applied in an unbiased way. If they are going to throw Russia out for this, and Belarus out just for helping Russia, they really should be throwing a lot of other countries out for similarly egregious actions too.

This issue also gets to an awkward problem with the Olympics separate from the usual corruption related stuff. Its supposed to be non-political and meant to promote peaceful competition between countries. Yet one of the strongest arguments against Russian participation is that it'll be used as a propoganda device to stoke up nationalist support for its war of aggression, which is the exact opposite of what the Olympics are (in theory at least) supposed to be there for.

If it is going to throw countries out for invading each other - which isn't a bad idea in itself - that principle should be encoded and consistently applied in an unbiased way

Russia was banned from the Olympics well before they invaded and started the war in Ukraine. They were banned for running state-sponsored doping programs of their athletes for decades. It was particularly egregious at the Sochi Olympics, as the Russians used their position as host to make a mockery of the system. Russia has no interest in playing fair in the Olympics. The athletes should be able to compete, but the country has no place.

Russia was banned from the Olympics well before they invaded and started the war in Ukraine. They were banned for running state-sponsored doping programs of their athletes for decades. It was particularly egregious at the Sochi Olympics, as the Russians used their position as host to make a mockery of the system. Russia has no interest in playing fair in the Olympics. The athletes should be able to compete, but the country has no place.

Oh yeah, being banned for their doping is a good reason to be banned, the IOC has rules about that and was enforcing them when it did that.

Its a bit different when it comes to banning a country for things completely unrelated to sports which it does (like say invading Ukraine) and the IOC lacks specific rules to deal with that situation.

I mean, I think in practice Russia will have to be banned, if for no other reason than that they are so toxic the games as a whole probably couldn't proceed if they were there. You'd have boycots by all the western teams who would refuse to compete against the Russians, etc, and given the games are happening in Paris this would be a mess that I think the IOC really wants to avoid. But while that outcome makes sense, they really do need to create some workable rules to ensure that they apply to everybody (such as the countries which are tearing countries like Yemen and Syria apart, for example).

Shame that the IOC chose to go along with this political charade...

Russians must participate exactly on the same conditions as all other athletes.

"all athletes, regardless of their nationality or the passport they hold, should be able to compete in sports competitions"

Well at the last count at least 220 Ukrainian athletes and coaches have been killed by russians, and over 340 sports facilities have been destroyed, making it difficult for those still alive to train.

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20230201/p2g/00m/0in/031000c

Let the Russians compete under the same conditions as the Ukrainians; send them to the front line where they can sit in the freezing cold in the trenches for a year being bombarded by the enemy, and the ones who survive that can continue to sit in the cold with no training facilities until the Olympics.

Otherwise, let the russians take part in the Olympics to their drugged little hearts' content, and everyone else boycott the games, since they're nothing but a travesty.

Personally I'd like to see Putin put in for the high jump.

Obviously Mr Bach has to raise his price.

Personally I'd like to see Putin put in for the high jump

Not the right height or stature.

Use him as a shot putt.

They shouldn't have been in the last two to begin with due to being found guilty of state sponsored doping and cover-up. They sure as hell shouldn't be in the Paris Olympics -- under ANY name.

It is simply for show! There will be a reversal or a workaround as they get closer to the event because the IOC is corrupt!

In other words Putin has no power!! a little poodle with a shorten tail! The IOC says down boy!

Please don’t punish hard working athletes for their governments decision. I know personally that Mr Bach wants athletes from all nations to be able to keep, he’s such a kind and honest mind who thinks in a broad manner.

Please don’t punish hard working athletes for their governments decision.

The athletes have still been allowed to compete. It's Russia that is not allowed - people from Russia are allowed to compete, but not representing Russia.

Russia still hasn't passed yet the requirements for a clean bill of health against the doping cheating national sports agency - and likely won't for awhile since they're too busy conducting the Ukraine invasion war

Only if or when that happens can they ask to be a regular participant again. In the meantime, they're still under suspension rules - and statistically the medals and records can go to the clean Russian athletes, but do not count under the country of Russia