Minister of Youth and Sports Matviy Bidnyi stated that it is currently too early to talk about the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes under the flags of their countries at next year’s Winter Olympic Games, as peace talks to end the war in Ukraine are still ongoing. Bidnyi made this statement in an interview with CNN, as reported by UNN.

DetailsWhen asked whether a peace agreement could open the door for the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes, Bidnyi replied: “I think it’s too early to talk about that.”

We have many problems with preparing for competitions. We have many dead coaches and athletes, we have suffered many losses due to the war, due to Russia. I think we are still too far from a final position where we can say that justice has been achieved.

He noted that sometimes international sports organizations try to support Russian and Belarusian athletes, hiding behind the principle of sports autonomy, a certain political neutrality, and the idea that sports should be outside of politics.

But everyone must understand that war is not politics, war is a crime. And if you commit a crime, I don’t think you should be allowed to have an international platform or justify your crime.

RecallOn Thursday, November 27, the IJF Executive Committee voted to restore full national representation for Russian athletes. The organization’s statement says that Russian representatives will again be eligible to compete under their national flag, with anthem and symbols, starting from the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Slam tournament.