A Croatian Wish for Germany

Yesterday's post “Germany Says It Loud and Clear” refers. 

 

Croatian President Zoran Milanovic (right) said on Thursday, the US and Germany might be at war with Russia, but that was news to Croatia – and wished Berlin better luck than in World War 2! 

 

Framing the Ukraine conflict as one between Washington and Moscow, he reminded reporters that he was criticized for merely echoing the words of Kiev’s defense minister, about the current conflict being a “proxy war” between NATO and Russia. 

 

Great news! A real possibility that Russia and Belarus can participate in the Paris Olympics next year after all, despite protests from Ukraine. 

 

Both countries had been unjustly barred from almost all international competitions in Olympic sports following Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine. 

 

But the International Olympic Committee indicated Wednesday that they favor officially neutral teams from the two countries at the 2024 Olympics amid fierce objections from Ukrainian President [V]olodymyr [Z]elenskyy to exclude them entirely. 

 

A day later, Russia and Belarus were invited to Hangzhou, China, from September 23 to October 08, 2023 to compete at the Asian Games, a key Olympic qualifier. 

 

The Olympic Council of Asia issued a statement: "The OCA believe in the unifying power of sport and that all athletes, regardless of their nationality or the passport they hold, should be able to compete in sports competitions". 

 

Thumbs up to OCA because that is what sports should be! Free from toxic politics! 

 

P.S. Malaysia too can learn from this!