Lausanne/Moscow: Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyarev, a leading candidate to assume the role of the country’s Olympic chief, called on Thursday for the restoration of ties with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and an end to ongoing disputes. Degtyarev’s remarks came during a high-level sports meeting attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin, just days after the resignation of National Olympic Committee head Stanislav Pozdnyakov, who stepped down due to the “geopolitical challenges” affecting Russian sports.
“Returning to the Olympic movement in accordance with the contributions of Russian and Soviet sport, and restoring the rights of our athletes—this is the policy we will stick to,” Degtyarev said, according to Russian news agencies. He emphasized the importance of maintaining open communication, adding, “There is every reason to say there is readiness for dialogue, including, unofficially, with IOC members. We need to maintain dialogue without insulting each other or shaking our fists.”
Russia’s Olympic History and the Impact of the Ban
For decades, both Russia and the Soviet Union were dominant forces at the Summer and Winter Olympics, consistently ranking among the top medal contenders. However, Russia was banned from participating as a team at this year’s Paris Games due to its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. A limited number of Russian athletes were permitted to compete as “neutrals,” but only after being vetted by the IOC to confirm they had no ties to the military or public support for the war.
Russian officials have criticized the ban as discriminatory, particularly since it also extended to athletes from Belarus, a key ally of Moscow that allowed its territory to be used in Russia’s military operations against Ukraine.
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Nominations for Olympic Chief
In the wake of Pozdnyakov’s resignation, Degtyarev has emerged as a leading candidate to fill the vacant position of Olympic chief. The Russian Tennis Federation’s head, Shamil Tarpishchev, nominated Degtyarev for the role during a meeting of the Russian President’s Council for the Development of Physical Culture and Sport in Ufa. President Putin reportedly remarked that Degtyarev’s candidacy “deserved the most careful consideration.”
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The call for dialogue and cooperation with the IOC marks a significant step in Russia’s efforts to re-establish its presence in international sports amid the ongoing geopolitical conflict.
