Global sport can’t develop without Russia – minister
Russian Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin has warned “cunning” outside forces against attempting to isolate his country, stressing that global sport cannot hope for successful development without Russian participation.
A host of federations across a variety of sports have imposed bans on Russian and Belarusian athletes in the wake of Moscow’s military operation in Ukraine, taking their lead from a recommendation by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Russian officials have decried the bans as discriminatory and allowing politics to undermine sport.
Russian minister Matytsin cautioned on Thursday that distorting traditional Olympic principles to exclude Russia would ultimately be to the detriment of world sport.