Ireland has lined up strongly with other countries to oppose the International Olympic Committee’s exploration of allowing Russia and Belarus to compete in the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
On Friday, Thomas Byrne, the Minister of State for Sport and Physical Education represented Ireland at a virtual summit of Sport Ministers from across Europe, North America and Asia, which was addressed by the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The summit, the third such gathering since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, was convened by the UK Government and was arranged to discuss a coordinated international response to the stated intention of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to explore the development of a pathway for the renewed participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in international sports competitions.
“There was a welcome consensus that the current circumstances of the war in Ukraine do not justify the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes to international sport at this time, irrespective of whether or not they participate under a so-called neutral banner,” said Minister Byrne.
“President Zelenskyy’s address to the meeting was inspirational and he received a solid demonstration of solidarity from this meeting.”
“In my address, I confirmed that Ireland’s solidarity with Ukraine, and its athletes, remains unflinching and unwavering.”
The meeting agreed to the preparation and issue in the near future of a joint Ministerial statement.
That will apply pressure on the IOC to row back on the ban that remains in force across most sports including at UEFA where it triggered the termination of a Gazprom partnership worth millions.
Tennis, Boxing, and a number of others have been less adamant in enforcing the ban but if the major nations come together on this it is likely that the IOC will take notice.
