Romania among nine states urging EU to reduce funding for Olympic Committee after lifting Russia ban
Update: In response to the letter signed by representatives of the nine states, including Romania, the International Olympic Committee doubled down on the decision to reinstate the Russian Olympic Committee. A spokesperson for the institution told Reuters that the decision to lift the ban on the ROC came after the latter removed regional sports bodies from occupied Ukrainian territories from its membership. According to the spokesperson, that was the reason that the ROC was sanctioned to begin with.
Moreover, the IOC said the decision was provisional and did not signal a broader change in its position towards Russia. "The IOC must uphold its mission to preserve a values-based and truly global sporting platform that provides hope to the world,” the spokesperson said.
The IOC maintained that it will not hold events in Russia nor invite Russian government officials to its events. No decision has yet been taken on the use of Russian flags, colors or the national anthem at future Olympics.
Finally, the IOC highlighted changes to the Olympic Charter that now require National Olympic Committees to ensure athletes selected for the Games are chosen not only on sporting merit but also on their ability to act as role models who promote a peaceful society through sport.
In February of this year, the BBC reported that several Russian athletes approved to compete as neutrals at the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics had links to activity supporting the war in Ukraine.
Initial story: Romania and eight other states are urging the EU commissioner for Sport, Glenn Micallef, to reduce EU funding for the International Olympic Committee (IOC), following its decision last week to lift the suspension imposed on the Russian Olympic Committee, according to Politico.
The IOC imposed severe restrictions on Russian athletes after the country invaded Ukraine in 2022. However, in recent months, Russian athletes have once again been allowed to participate in several international sporting competitions, prompting negative reactions from Ukraine and its allies.
Last week, the IOC temporarily lifted the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee. The IOC said it lifted the suspension because the Russian Olympic Committee no longer includes regional sports organizations, and therefore the athletes, from the occupied Ukrainian territories.
In a letter published on Tuesday, July 14, by Sweden’s Permanent Representation to the EU, sports ministers from the nine states urged Micallef to “ensure that organizations whose actions are incompatible with the values of the European Union do not benefit from EU support.”
Romania, Sweden, Estonia, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Finland, and Denmark signed the open letter requesting the cuts.
“Nothing has changed on the ground. Russia is still waging its brutal war of aggression against Ukraine,” said Swedish minister of social affairs Jakob Forssmed. “EU funding programs and cooperation frameworks cannot therefore be designed in a way that risks normalizing Russia’s aggression,” he added.
In a rebuke of the IOC’s reasoning for lifting the ban, the signatories of the latter said that the war continues to prevent Ukrainian athletes from training for international competitions on equal terms. “Any claim that sport can be separated from politics rings false,” the statement said.
The letter also called for the withdrawal of EU funding granted to World Aquatics and the International Gymnastics Federation, both of which have lifted their bans on Russian athletes.
Last month, Cluj-Napoca mayor Emil Boc banned Russian athletes from using the anthem or the flag of Russia as representation in the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Challenge Cup that took place in the city. The announcement was met with harsh reactions from Russia, with calls being made in the Russian parliament for Romania to be deprived of the right to host tournaments, according to Digi24.
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