IOC president Thomas Bach warns of 'very aggressive comments' from Moscow
Russia's government is becoming increasingly aggressive towards the International Olympic Committee as the Paris Games draw near, according to IOC president Thomas Bach. Russia sports minister Oleg Matytsin said last week Russia should not boycott the Games, which run from 26 July to 11 August, despite restrictions on its athletes imposed by the IOC over the invasion of Ukraine. The IOC will allow Russian and Belarusian athletes who qualify to take part as neutrals without their countries' flags, emblems or national anthems. "As far as their participation is concerned, we have heard the rather polite signal [from the Russian sports minister]... but on the other hand, we've also seen the government's very aggressive comments," Bach told French daily Le Monde. He added that their participation in the opening and closing ceremonies would be discussed on Tuesday and Wednesday by the IOC's executive board. "The IOC doesn't comment, but we can see that the government's aggressiveness is growing by the day, against the IOC, against the Games, against me," he said. "They range from 'fascist' to 'destroyer of the Games and the Olympic movement'.
