MOSCOW: Russia charged on Tuesday that Thomas Bach, the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), was involved in a “conspiracy” with Ukraine to keep its best athletes out of the Paris Games this year.
The claim was made by Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, following the release of a recording of a discussion between Bach and two Russian practical jokers, Vovan and Lexus, in which Bach was misled into thinking he was speaking with an African sports official.
During the conversation, Bach announced that the IOC had formed a special panel to keep an eye on the internet and media and make sure Russian athletes who had supported their government politically were barred from competing in the Olympics.
On the audio, Bach could be heard stating in English, “We have also offered to the Ukrainian side — not only offered, but asked them — to provide us with their knowledge of the behaviour of such [Russian] athletes or officials.”
Bach “entered into a political-administrative and, apparently, criminal conspiracy with one specific party” (Ukraine), according to a post made by Zakharova on Telegram, “to exclude strong sports competitors from international competitions.”
“A comprehensive investigation should be conducted into the relationship between IOC President Bach and the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine and its officials, as well as the admissions of a’request to monitor Russian athletes,'” she continued.
Because of the conflict in Ukraine, ties between Russia and the IOC have deteriorated dramatically in the lead-up to the Olympics, when athletes from Belarus and Russia will compete as neutrals without wearing their national flags or songs. Additionally, they are not permitted to participate in the inaugural procession.
In anticipation of the prank call’s release, the IOC declared last month that Bach had fallen prey to a fake.
The IOC has made public the creation of a review team to assess each athlete from Belarus or Russia who meets the qualifying standards for Paris. Athletes must not have been employed by a military or security organization and cannot have actively supported the war in Ukraine in order to be cleared to compete.
