Dominik Hašek demands Russians openly condemn war against Ukraine or be banned from Paris Olympics

Russian and Belarusian athletes must state loud and clear they condemn Russia for the war in Ukraine or be banned from next year's Paris Olympics, hockey gold medallist Dominik Hašek told The Associated Press.

Hašek, who won gold with the Czech Republic team at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, said he is certain their presence at the Paris Games would otherwise result in "a huge promotion of the Russian war."

The NHL great has been a prominent and vocal critic of the International Olympic Committee's recommendation that Russians and Belarusians compete in international competitions as neutral athletes.

"Everybody knows where those athletes are from," Hašek told the AP in an interview. "They would represent the aggressive, imperialistic war and the crimes and killings linked to it."

He said it would be like supplying Russia with tanks, aircraft and ammunition.

The IOC and president Thomas Bach have shaped the definition of neutrality — not publicly supporting the war, nor being contracted to the military since the invasion began in February 2022, competing without flag, anthem or national colours — that sports governing bodies must decide how or if to apply.

"I'm convinced that we all, the whole democratic world, have to do all we can to prevent the Russian and Belarusian athletes from participating under the current conditions," Hašek said.

IOC officials have said the Olympic body could take its own decision on the Russian athletes issue "at the appropriate time" but also said that excluding them on the basis of their passports alone was discrimination.

The 2024 Olympics open next year on July 26.

A public and repeated condemnation of the war would be a necessary condition for the athletes to be included in the