Zelensky Appealed To The IOC Because Of Belarusian Athletes
- 2.09.2025, 9:55
The President of Ukraine urged to be principled.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky held a conversation with International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry and expressed hope that the IOC "will maintain the principled position that it had during the Paris Olympics, both with regard to aggressive Russia and its accomplice Belarus," and invited the IOC president to Ukraine, "Interfax-Ukraine".
"Spoke with International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry. Congratulated her on her election to the post, wished her success and thanked her for the IOC's support of Ukraine and Ukrainian sportsmen and sportswomen. Unfortunately, Russia continues its aggression and does not make any steps towards peace. Now there is no greater destroyer of sports infrastructure and even the very principles of Olympism in the world than the Russian state. During the full-scale war, Russian strikes have killed more than 600 Ukrainian athletes and coaches, destroyed hundreds of our sports facilities," he wrote in Telegram on Monday.
Zelensky stressed that Russia is trying to use "every sporting event...always trying to twist in favor of its state propaganda."
"Every sporting event that the Russian state reaches for, it always tries to twist in favor of its state propaganda, and this is the propaganda of hatred and war. So we need to keep a distance between the sports movement and this Russian evil. We talked now, in particular, about preparations for the Winter Olympics-2026 in Italy. Not only we in Ukraine, but also many other pro-life countries equally expect the IOC to maintain the principled position that it had during the Olympics in Paris, both with regard to aggressive Russia and its accomplice Belarus. We are ready to share all necessary information. I will be glad to see Mrs. Kirsty in Ukraine," concluded the President.
Kirsty Coventry is a Zimbabwean swimmer, Olympic champion, the most decorated Olympian from Africa. She was elected president of the IOC in 2025.