Chairman of RF Olympic Committee Details the Humiliation Russian Athletes Have Been Subjected by IOC

Our program has received information about the Olympic council that's going to take place next week. It will decide whether we go to the Korean Olympics after this week's decision of the IOC.

Our program has received information about the Olympic council that's going to take place next week. It will decide whether we go to the Korean Olympics after this week's decision of the IOC.

Words fail. It's outrageous that our athletes might be able to carry a Russian flag only at a closing ceremony and that the athletes will be selected by the officials of the IOC, and not of our Federations. However, the worst case scenario with an ultimate ban didn't happen. At least it seemed this way until today.

This afternoon, the news made us seek an emergency meeting with Alexander Zhukov, the head of the Russian Olympic Committee. Here's our interview.

 

- Greetings, Mr. Zhukov.

- Good afternoon.

- My first question is rather odd. In what capacity have you agreed to answer my questions?

- As the President of the Russian Olympic Committee.

- I'll correct you if I might. I checked the Russian translation of the IOC's decision that was posted on their website and translated in Moscow. "The IOC made the following decision: to suspend the Russian Olympic Committee with an immediate entry into force. Is it a mistranslation?

- It definitely is because the IOC temporarily suspended the membership of the Russian Olympic Committee in the IOC.

- But not disbanded?

- No foreign organization can disband our Olympic Committee. It's a Russian civic organization created under the Russian law.

We have a lot of ill-wishers, our political foes in the world that were pushing the IOC towards completely banning Russia.

- And that was the worst case scenario.

- It's clear that now we are being pushed towards boycotting the Olympics. And that would mean our long-term suspension from the Olympic movement.

- So we mustn't take the bait. Mr. Zhukov, another possible mistranslation. Here's your quote: "one of the positive decisions regarding the Russian athletes is that they won't be under investigation any longer." Is it really so?

- You know, one of the main decisions of the IOC Executive Board was the response to the allegations against Russia claiming we have a doping system backed by the state. McLaren and some others accused us of that. Schmid's special disciplinary commission that was reporting to the IOC drew an exhaustive conclusion on this matter. I'll quote it: "The disciplinary commission found no documented, independent, and unbiased evidence that there can be a State support for doping or involvement of Russia's authorities in covering up doping cases."

Yes, there would be no invitation this time. Our Olympic Committee won't be able to submit a team entry form. This time it will select the athletes that will go there. It will decide on its own considering the proposals of our Federations. But there is a certain risk that our best athletes might be left out.

- So the IOC officials will be browsing through the papers: "OK, five clean Russian athletes in this discipline. Well, this might win gold. This one — silver. Let's invite some safe ones instead who'll come 5th or 6th." Is it possible?

- From the legal perspective, it is but I believe everyone, including the IOC, are interested in letting the strongest athletes compete at the Olympics. Otherwise, the Games are pointless, uninteresting. Will they, say, decide on the composition of our hockey team? Of course, no. How do they know who our coaches would pick? Or, say, in figure skating. Of course, our coaches and the Federation know better.

- You've just said a very important thing. There's a photo of our 2014 figure skating team behind your back. You mean, they'll invite both individual athletes and teams?

- That's one of the most important decisions of the IOC Executive Board. They made a decision that our athletes can't compete under the Russian flag which I consider to be absolutely unfair because our athletes have a collective responsibility. What does a fifteen-year-old figure skater Zagitova have to do with what Mr. Rodchenkov's been doing in his laboratory? Four years ago, she was eleven. But, alas, the IOC made its decision.

However, usually, in previous cases like the Athletics World Championship when our athletes didn't compete under the Russian flag they were also banned from all the relay races Meaning there were no team events.

- But not this time?

- This time, the IOC admitted not only individual athletes but teams as well. And these teams will have the word "Russia" in their names.

On the other hand, we understand the feelings of those athletes that would refuse to go to the Olympics under the neutral flag. That's understandable. Every athlete is currently facing a tough choice. A really tough one. Because going there under the foreign pressure receiving unequal treatment, competing under a flag that's not yours is really difficult.

- I've read your quote about conducting a replacement tournament for those athletes who stay. Will it be for those who decided to stay? Or will the athletes banned for doping comfortably compete in a tournament in Moscow or somewhere else?

- That's for the Olympic Council to decide. I personally think that we must support both those who will go to the Olympics and those who will stay for a variety of reasons. These reasons may be as follows. For example, a person may refuse to go there without the Russian flag.

There are several athletes that we think are unfairly disqualified. Basically those vilified by Rodchenkov.

- Those vilified by Rodchenkov.

- By no means do the samples prove their guilt. They will all file a complaint at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

- And those who actually got nailed for doping?

- There are doped athletes who got disqualified.

There is another one group of athletes banned by the IOC. It's those who had violated the anti-doping rules in the past and already endured their punishment.

- Even though such foreign athletes are allowed.

- Even though they are. And the last question: what about the uniform of our team that I'm legally bound to call "athletes from Russia", what will it be like?

- This question will be negotiated with the special IOC commission. It will certainly be manufactured in Russia.

- Will it include any national aspects? Anything white-blue-red?

- I hope that the uniform will include some national aspects.

- Thank you.