German Interior Minister threatens to deny entry for Russian athletes
Germany might ban Russian athletes from entering its territory if they are allowed to compete by the International Olympic Committee, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said. “Countries that host major sporting events are not powerless. They can control participation of Russians by issuing visas. If we organize international competitions in Germany, we can act accordingly. We will always act based on our clear position,” politician reported. In her opinion, providing the opportunity for Russian athletes to participate in international competitions would be “a slap in the face to Ukrainian athletes.”
“Giving warmonger Putin a propaganda stage would betray all the values of sport… The IOC must prevent this catastrophic signal,” Faeser emphasized. Athletes from Russia and Belarus have been banned from most international sports events since the beginning of last year’s Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has now recommended readmitting them, under strict conditions and as neutral athletes.
