ROC is preparing lawsuits over the admission of Russians to the Olympic festival without a flag

MOSCOW, October 9 - RIA Novosti. The Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) is preparing legal action in connection with the conditions for the admission of Russian athletes to the European Youth Olympic Winter Festival in 2027, the Minister of Sports of the Russian Federation, head of the ROC Mikhail Degtyarev said in his Telegram channel.

On Friday it became known that the European Olympic Committees (EOC) have allowed the Russian and Belarusian teams to participate in the European Youth Olympic Winter Festival, which will be held in Brasov, Romania in 2027. The EOC emphasized that representatives of these countries will compete under the auspices of the National Olympic Committee of Belarus and the ROC, and only the logo of the corresponding NOC will be allowed to be placed on their equipment. The EOC Executive Committee also confirmed that they will compete under the EOC flag and the anthem used by the IOC at the Paris 2024 Games will be played during the medal ceremonies.

“Despite the fact that admission was received for the first time in many years, we regard its format as a gross violation of the recommendations of the International Olympic Committee and discrimination. The IOC gave clear recommendations to admit Russian athletes to international sporting events without restrictions, including with national symbols. Especially when it concerns young athletes, which was specifically emphasized by the Olympic summit in December last year. However, Europe is again demonstrating a selective approach to its own principles of equality,” Degtyarev said.

“Russian athletes are ordered to compete under the EOC flag, and they will be able to use the emblem of the Russian Olympic Committee on their uniforms. This is discrimination and a departure from Olympic values, in fact, a demarche against the IOC decision. Our lawyers are preparing lawsuits in the courts,” he added.