IOC-OCA Shamelessly Backtrack on Asian Games Invite

Russia's Olympic chief (right) criticised Asian Games organizers for rowing back on a decision to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete at the multi-sport event in Hangzhou, China. [My blog post "A Croatian Wish for Germany" published on January 27, 2023 had highlighted this issue]. 

 

The Olympic Council of Asia had, in fact, voted in July to allow up to 500 Russian and Belarusian athletes at the Games but the International Olympic Committee confirmed in early-September that the two countries would not participate due to "technical" reasons.

 

Russian Olympic Committee President Stanislav Pozdnyakov said they had been waiting for specifics about their athletes' participation but was "stonewalled" by organizers. 

 

"From the point of view of diplomacy, I think that such things are simply unacceptable; they did not even inform us that they reconsidered their decision to invite us", he said in comments published by Russia's TASS news agency.

 

Acting OCA president Randhir Singh reasserted this week at the Hangzhou Games that Russian and Belarusian athletes would have been welcome but the "logistics" could not be worked out. 

 

Pozdnyakov questioned that logistics were the problem. "The Games are being held in China, relations between our countries would have removed all security issues and the geographical closeness excludes any logistics issues", he said.

 

It's really disgraceful on the part of IOC and OCA for the shameless deception – it's a blardy decision that will live in infamy! 

😂😂😂