Ukrainian athletes have circulated an open letter to President Emmanuel Macron of France, Mayor Anne Hidalgo of Paris, French Minister of Sports Amélie Ude-Caste and Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games 2024 Tony Estanguet. Athletes urge them to block the participation of Russians who support the war in the Olympic Games in Paris.
The open letter from Ukrainian athletes has been published in Ukrainian, English, and French on the Ministry of Youth and Sports website.
In the open letter, athletes provide examples of support for the war by Russian athletes who have already obtained licenses for the Games. This includes taekwondo athlete Vladislav Larin, wrestlers Zaurbek Sidakov and Zaur Uguev.
"We insist on not allowing these athletes and revoking licenses in these sports. An athlete who propagates war, an athlete who supports the actions of an aggressor country, has no right to compete for licenses at the Olympic Games," the letter states.
The appeal was supported by the most decorated Ukrainian athletes, such as track and field athletes Yaroslava Mahuchikh, Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk, rower Yuriy Cheban, freestyler Oleksandr Abramenko, judoka Georgiy Zantaraia, boxer Oleksandr Khyzhniak, and others.
"With all their actions, the Russians are trying to turn the Paris Olympics into what we witnessed in 1936 in Berlin. The Kremlin wants to turn the celebration of sport into a festival of Russian propaganda. We need to speak out loud about this. Silence kills," emphasizes the head of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Matviy Bidnyi.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine supported the initiative of athletes who showed a courageous civic position.
The open letter was signed by members of the youth national football team of Ukraine, who, for the first time in history, secured Olympic licenses. Signatures were put by Anatoliy Trubin, Georgiy Sudakov, Mykhailo Mudryk, Vladyslav Vanat, and other team members.
Athletes themselves initiated the open letter. Media outlets such as Tribuna.com, Base of Ukrainian Sports, the portal "Great Tennis of Ukraine," and the media project "Watchers" also supported the initiative by collecting signatures.
