Professor Richard McLaren, who previously investigated possible anti-doping violations in Russian sports, said he did not consider the decision to remove Russian athletes from competitions fair.
On February 28, the International Olympic Committee recommended that sports federations prevent Russian and Belarusian athletes from participating in international tournaments against the background of the Russian military operation in Ukraine.
A number of international federations have accepted this recommendation and have excluded Russian and Belarusian athletes from their sponsored competitions, while other federations have allowed athletes from both countries to compete under a neutral flag.
“The way they treat (Russian athletes) is unfair… the athletes did not start the conflict and are not responsible for its course. These are two good reasons to allow them to compete again, ”the newspaper quotes McLaren. “Sportshow”, as they say.
McLaren added: “As long as the conflict (in Ukraine) continues, the international sports community will not change its mind.
But if the Court of Arbitration for Sport decides in favor of the Russian athletes, the federations will be forced to allow them to compete again.”
It should be noted that various Russian sports federations have filed lawsuits with the Court of Arbitration for Sport to allow Russian athletes to compete in international competitions.
Source: RIA Novosti