Culture

Over 80 Ukrainian athletes have signed an open letter to President Emmanuel Macron of France

04 Jan, 2024

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Over 80 Ukrainian athletes have signed an open letter to President Emmanuel Macron of France, Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo, French Minister of Sport Amélie Ude-Kostry, and the organizers of the 2024 Olympics.

Our most decorated athletes are opposing the participation in the Olympics of citizens of the Russian Federation and Belarus who support the war against Ukraine.

The open letter from Ukrainian athletes has been published on the Ministry of Youth and Sports website in Ukrainian, English, and French.

English version

The initiative group against the admission of Russian athletes who support the war to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris announced the collection of signatures for a letter of appeal to the President of France Emmanuel Macron, Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo, Minister of Sports of France Amélie Oudéa-Castéra and the organizers of the 2024 Olympic Games regarding the exclusion of Russian athletes from the competition. This letter emphasizes that some "neutral" Russian athletes who have obtained Olympic licences, including Vladislav Larin, Zaurbek Sidakov and Zaur Uguev, and a number of others close to obtaining licenses, actually support the war.

This letter has already been signed by dozens of Ukrainian athletes (listed below; you can join by messaging Tribuna.com or Base of Ukrainian sports Instagram or writing to [email protected]).

To the President of the French Republic

Emmanuel Macron

Minister of Sports and Olympic and Paralympic Games of the French Republic

Amélie Oudéa-Castera

Mayor of Paris

Anne Hidalgo

Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games 2024

Tony Estanguet

LETTER OF APPEAL

Ukrainian athletes express our respect and gratitude for your unwavering stance and comprehensive support of the Ukrainian state in its fight for sovereignty and independence against the actions of a brutal aggressor.

France has become one of the most influential and renowned partner countries of Ukraine, tirelessly providing the Ukrainian people with necessary support and assistance to exercise their right to preserve Ukrainian freedom and identity.

French President Emmanuel Macron, as reported by France 5 on December 20, 2023, once again assured that the European Union's military support of Ukraine will continue, sharing France's vision: "We should continue to support Ukraine, as it allows us to live in peace."

Amélie Oudéa-Castera, French Minister of Sports, on the anniversary of the Russian invasion, met with Ukrainian athletes in French Louvain and noted that France will allocate one million euros for the preparation of Ukrainian Olympians and Paralympians for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Madam Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, who has repeatedly visited Kyiv since the beginning of the Russian invasion, openly expresses her principled position against the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in the Olympics, even under a neutral flag.

In July 2024, the XXXIII Olympic Games will begin in Paris. We, Ukrainian athletes, seek your continued support in the fight to uphold Olympic principles and prevent athletes from terrorist states from participating.

No athlete from these countries has publicly spoken out against the killings, against the genocide of the Ukrainian people during the war.

Currently, 11 athletes from these countries have obtained licenses as "neutrals" to participate in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

However, allowing these athletes contradicts the fundamental recommendations of the International Olympic Committee, as the athletes admitted to the Olympics are not "neutral" but open supporters of war, as confirmed by information published on the internet.

1. Vladislav Larin

Olympic taekwondo champion Larin became one of the main characters in a propaganda video – he called on Russians to support the Russian military fighting against Ukraine. He is directly involved in financing the killing of Ukrainian women, children, and elderly.

https://youtu.be/YvtCrU0PvPo?si=N7fUPQQLPjSMMRHQ

"Friends, let's unite and support the mobilized guys who are now defending our Homeland," Larin emphatically urged Russians.

2-3. Zaurbek Sidakov and Zaur Uguev

Olympic wrestling champions Sidakov and Uguev participated in a propaganda rally supporting the war against Ukraine with dictator Vladimir Putin on March 18, 2022, under the slogan "For peace without Nazism! For Russia! For the President!".

https://twitter.com/Ukrsportbase/status/1703760916708307255

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Sidakov also liked several posts supporting Russia's aggression against Ukraine https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ON-cJW8ldD0

Additionally, several other Russian athletes close to obtaining Olympic licenses have also openly supported the war against Ukraine. Among them are taekwondo athletes Maxim Khramtsov, Polina Khan, Kristina Adebayo, Georgy Gurtsev, Tatiana Minina, judokas Madina Taimazova, Inal Tasoev, Arman Adamyan, and wrestler Abdulrashid Sadulaev.

Allowing athletes from aggressor countries, who openly support Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine, violates the fundamental ethical principles declared by the Olympic Charter, effective as of June 26, 2019. We believe that any format of participation of athletes from aggressor states is unacceptable. The primary goal of Olympism is to place sport at the service of the harmonious development of humankind, aiming to promote a peaceful society interested in preserving human dignity.

We insist on not allowing these athletes and canceling the licenses in these sports. An athlete who promotes war, an athlete who supports the actions of an aggressor country, should not have the right to compete for licenses at the Olympic Games.

With this letter, we appeal to you to continue your support and advocate for the prohibition of participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in competitions for licenses at the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris. Such a ban can only strengthen and promote the worthy goals of peace and equality embodied by the Olympic movement and sport in general, and prevent the XXXIII Olympic Games from becoming a propaganda event of the Russian regime.

We once again express our gratitude for your support, steadfast stance, and hope for your determination in resolving the issue of revoking licenses for athletes from aggressor countries in the 2024 Olympic Games. As long as Russian forces bombard Ukraine, targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure, and as long as Russian soldiers remain on Ukrainian soil, Russian and Belarusian athletes should not participate in sporting competitions.

With respect,