Ukrainian athlete slams ‘shameful’ IOC decision to lift Russia Olympics suspension
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As It Happened6:25 Ukrainian athlete slams ‘shameful’ IOC decision to lift Russia Olympics suspension
Vladyslav Heraskevych does not want to participate in the Olympics alongside the athletes of the country that is fighting against his country.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) temporarily lifted its suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) on Tuesday, paving the way for the Russians to compete at the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles. It is not yet clear whether they will be allowed to display the Russian flag and colors, or play the national anthem.
The IOC set up the ROC in October 2023 to recognize the regional Olympic councils in the Russian-controlled regions of Ukraine, mainly Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. The ROC has assured the IOC that it no longer controls sports organizations in those regions.
IOC President Kirsty Coventry said on Tuesday the IOC does not support war, but added: “We don’t want to hold athletes accountable for their government’s actions.”
Heraskevych, a Ukrainian skeleton runner, is calling on national Olympic councils to come together to oppose the IOC’s decision, and for the host country to deny visas to Russian athletes.
Heraskevych, himself, has been banned from this year’s Winter Olympics by wearing a hat with pictures of Ukrainian war victims. Here is part of his interview with As It Happened hosted by Nil Kӧksal.
Vladyslav, what words would you use to describe this IOC decision?
I believe it is a shameful decision and it is absolutely wrong to make it, especially when you look at what happened in recent weeks in Ukraine, in Kyiv.
Just yesterday we were four [a] a day of mourning because … people were killed in one of the Russian attacks. Today, we have fewer air raids and, again, fewer people were killed because of this attack.
So it happens, literally, like, every day. And to see this news that Russians are welcome back into the Olympic family, it feels surreal.
IOC President Kirsty Coventry said at a press conference yesterday: “We do not support any wars, including this one. We will continue to support Ukraine as we have done since this started.” Do you feel supported? How do you prove what he says there about the actions of the IOC?
I believe that all this talk about solidarity … is a huge hypocrisy from the IOC.
The IOC’s executive body has temporarily suspended the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee and advised Olympic sports bodies to end a three-year program to test Russian neutrality ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic qualifying events.
How is your day to day … in Kyiv? … How do you stay safe?
If you have this shelling, you spend approx [the] overnight in a shelter or in an underground parking lot or other place where you can hide from an attack.
If you’re talking about people who … had their house destroyed or a family member killed, it’s just another story. I think it’s impossible to understand what’s going on in their lives right now.
And, of course, more [my] friends are fighting on the front lines and we are trying to support them. But some of them were killed.
It is a very difficult time and we all hope that it will end as soon as possible.
The sports minister of Ukraine asks why this change in the law is happening now, saying: “Nothing has changed. The situation got worse.” And you explain some of that. The IOC said that this is the time when the athletes will be qualifying, which is why they say they are doing it now. Why do you think it’s happening now?
It is difficult to understand why they are now returning the Russians, [or why] they lifted the sanctions on the Russian Olympic Committee.
Because at the same time, Russian athletes, Russian sports officials, are closely connected to the Russian government, and Russian propaganda. Some athletes are fighting. Other Russian athletes fought in the front. Some of them, they are involved in certain activities with kidnapped Ukrainian children. And at the same time, too working diligently in occupied areas.
To say that they are innocent and that … they shouldn’t have to deal with it [the] the actions of their governments … I believe it is false. Because they are responsible. They take an active part. It is not that they are against it and there is nothing they can do about it.
Do you think they have a choice there?
We have examples of others leaving their country and speaking … very openly against their government. I believe they have a choice; they chose their side.
What are your next steps? The IOC made this decision. Can it be reversed? Are you going to do something? Will you and others back down?
I believe that now is the best time to work, to cooperate, with different national Olympic committees from different countries, and to stand firm against this decision. Because if we can get the majority of the national Olympic committees, we can change this decision.
I believe that if the countries do not accept these decisions, they are able to ban visas for Russian athletes. And of course, even if the IOC wants to have Russian athletes in the competitions … they can’t come to the country if they don’t have a visa. So, the problem is solved.
