Olympic champion loses patience
High jumper Lassizkene attacks IOC-Bach head-on
For weeks, Russian sports greats have not been allowed to compete in international competitions in various sports. You are now slowly but surely losing patience. For example, the high jump Olympic champion Marija Lassizkene (29).
Published: 08.07.2022 at 20:08
Olympic champion and three-time world champion Marija Lassizkene (29) has had enough. In an open letter, the Russian severely pilloried IOC President Thomas Bach (68) because of the exclusion of athletes from various sports.
At the beginning of the letter, she introduces herself: “I don’t know if you know me, because your statements give me the feeling that you are moving closer to politics and away from athletes and elite sport.” But he must know her, because he looked the other way in 2016 when she was banned from the Rio Olympics as part of Russia’s doping scandal because she “was born in Russia”.
Exclusion as the «simplest solution» for Bach
In her letter, she reproaches Bach for three quotes that he himself made. One of them: “The rights of all who do not support the war must be respected, under our rules and the rules of international law.”
Lassizkene positions himself clearly once morest the war: “I don’t know what to say to my colleagues or how to look them in the eye. You and your friends and family are experiencing what no human should ever feel.” However, it is currently not allowed to start anywhere.
But instead of listening to the opinions of Russian athletes, the IOC advised sports federations to simply exclude everyone. “If you were really concerned regarding the fate of the athletes, you wouldn’t be asking them to speak publicly. They opted for the simplest solution,” the 29-year-old rumbles on.
The exclusion of Russians – a difficult matter
Sports associations such as Uefa, FIS or World Athletics have excluded all Russian teams and/or athletes from international competitions. From a legal point of view, however, this handling is extremely tricky. Because in European sport there is no legal basis for such cases.
As there has not been a war of this magnitude in Europe in recent decades, no laws have been drawn up on how sports federations should act in the event of a war. This means that every case is now a precedent. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) must first create a legal basis, which will take time. He is currently dealing with the sanctions imposed by Fifa and Uefa, and hearings are scheduled to take place in July. The clubs were allowed to be taken out of circulation in the spring because these were so-called “super-provisional bans”.
There are many indications among experts that a compromise will be reached, which is already being used in some cases. For example, athletes from a war-mongering nation should start under a neutral flag. The tennis associations ATP and WTA, for example, have handled it this way during tournaments since the Russians invaded Ukraine. This is intended to deprive them of national representation and national pride. Critics say, however, that many of the athletes only achieved professional status because of Russian support measures and that neutrality would only be “window dressing”.
Sports associations such as Uefa, FIS or World Athletics have excluded all Russian teams and/or athletes from international competitions. From a legal point of view, however, this handling is extremely tricky. Because in European sport there is no legal basis for such cases.
As there has not been a war of this magnitude in Europe in recent decades, no laws have been drawn up on how sports federations should act in the event of a war. This means that every case is now a precedent. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) must first create a legal basis, which will take time. He is currently dealing with the sanctions imposed by Fifa and Uefa, and hearings are scheduled to take place in July. The clubs were allowed to be taken out of circulation in the spring because these were so-called “super-provisional bans”.
There are many indications among experts that a compromise will be reached, which is already being used in some cases. For example, athletes from a war-mongering nation should start under a neutral flag. The tennis associations ATP and WTA, for example, have handled it this way during tournaments since the Russians invaded Ukraine. This is intended to deprive them of national representation and national pride. Critics say, however, that many of the athletes only achieved professional status because of Russian support measures and that neutrality would only be “window dressing”.
“You don’t have the dignity”
She is in favor of avoiding flags and national anthems: “Fans don’t love the athletes because of their nationality, but because of their achievements.” What Bach did did not stop the war, but sparked another one.
The concluding words then have it all once more: “I have no doubt that you do not have the courage and dignity to lift the sanctions. Because then you would have to admit that you have been violating the IOC charter all these months.” (che)