The President of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, suddenly remembered that sport can fall apart, becoming an instrument of political decisions. Having banned Russians wherever possible, the head of the IOC now says that all countries should be allowed to the Olympics. But why is he asking politicians about it instead of just lifting his own bans?

It seems that Bach signs for complete lack of independence.

Olympics for everyone

The head of the IOC, Thomas Bach, attended the G20 summit in Indonesia, where, on the eve of the dinner of distinguished guests, he had the opportunity to make an appeal to the leaders of leading countries. Bach’s November speech contrasted surprisingly with everything that the formal leader of the Olympic movement allowed himself to say and do in previous months.

– The Olympics can unite the whole world only if athletes from all over the world participate in it. Unlike other conflicts between countries in the past, this time some countries have decided that they have the right to refuse athletes to participate in the Olympic Games for political reasons. If sport becomes a tool for political influence, it will fall apart completely. It is necessary that all countries take part in the Olympic Games, including – and even in particular – conflicting ones, – RIA Novosti Sport quotes Bach’s speech.

Photo: © Ryan Pierse / Staff / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru

If we evaluate only this speech, discarding the duplicity of Bach himself and his real weight in decisions, we can assume that the black streak for Russian sports is left behind. After all, the conversation about “all countries, especially those in conflict” clearly makes a reference to Russia. From a decent list of currently conflicting countries on the globe, except for our country and, possibly, Belarus, no one has been subjected to such demonization in the sports world. But, unfortunately, Bach’s words do not inspire absolutely no confidence in the future.

Political impasse

– It’s good that there is such a position. But as long as there are recommendations to ban Russian athletes from participating in international competitions, not a single federation will deviate from them. The IOC has driven itself into a political impasse and is now trying to get out of it. It is necessary to lift these bans – perhaps the words of Bach will affect this, ”Vasily Titov, head of the Russian Artistic Gymnastics Federation, told Match TV.

Indeed, if Mr. Bach believes that everyone should participate in the Olympics, and refusals for political reasons are inappropriate, why doesn’t he first cancel his own recommendations to sports federations to prohibit Russians and Belarusians from accessing international competitions? Why is he desperately trying to convey the obvious to the leaders of individual states, as if asking them for permission to stop interfering with sports and politics? The answer seems to be obvious, but it was only spoken about aloud in Russia, and even then in recent months.

The head of the IOC was often reproached for lack of independence, but the next speech seems to draw a line under all speculation on this matter. A man who is formally not subject to any of the politicians of any of the influential powers is trying for some reason to convince the twenty leaders that they would allow minimizing the politicization of sports.

What all this will lead to in practice is still completely impossible to say. If the decision has really already been made, and Bach’s unexpected change in rhetoric is just a masquerade for a change of course, then positive changes for our sport are really worth waiting for. If this is an impromptu move by the leader of the Olympic movement, aimed at trying to convey to politicians the point of view of sports federations, then there is a risk that nothing will change. And tomorrow nothing will prevent the head of the IOC from saying that his words were misunderstood.