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22
February
2023

Gutzeit admits participation of Russian, Belarusian athletes at Olympics in Paris as refugees

KYIV. Feb 22 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Minister of Youth and Sports, President of the National Olympic Committee Vadym Gutzeit admits the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes at the Olympic Games in Paris as refugees.

“We are of the opinion that they should not participate [Russian and Belarusian athletes at the Olympics]. But we are modeling the situation that you mentioned, that is, the option that my colleague, Minister of Tourism and Sports of Poland Kamil Bortniczuk, has already proposed, so that they participate as refugees. There is a certain group at the Olympic Games who take part as refugees,” Gutzeit said on the air of the national telethon on Wednesday afternoon.

The minister noted that in such framing of the issue, Russian and Belarusian athletes will have a condition to renounce their citizenship, condemn the war and act as refugees.

“There is only one condition that I am sure they will not accept. There may be such a criterion if they allow them. That’s how I see the situation, I don’t see any other conditions,” he added.