The Estonian Olympic Committee (EOK) believes that boycotting the Olympic Games should be left as the last option, and cancellation of participation would be unfair to athletes, writes ERR News.
EOK President Urmas Sõõrumaa said that Estonia would not withdraw its participation. Announcements about the boycott of the Olympic Games are a reaction not only to the war in Ukraine but also to the fact that many Russian athletes are part of the Russian army.
Sõõrumaa said on the Estonian television program Esimene stuudio: «Boycotts have never really led to anything.
Let’s not forget that practically the majority of Russian athletes who will make it to the podium are military, athletes and get a [military] medal when they win. This is an absurd situation.
It is preferable that many of them, instead, would not take part.» Sõõrumaa added that the long-term perspective should also be kept in mind as also the support that these athletes have shown to the regime before 2022.
Estonian athlete and 2008 Beijing Olympic Games gold medalist Gerd Kanter stated that boycotting the Olympics would be a huge blow to the careers of the participating athletes, and the decision to participate should be left up to the athletes. Kanter, who is currently training the Slovenian discus thrower Kristjan Čech, called not to rush the decisions and reminded that four years is a very long time in the life of an athlete.
Sõõrumaa reminded that in any case, even if Russian athletes will compete under a neutral flag, there are possible provocations, and Putin’s propaganda will use the athletes for their own purposes, especially if they are successful.
EOK General Secretary Siim Sukles stated that Russian athletes should not participate in the Olympic Games at all, both out of consideration for other athletes and considering the feelings of the spectators.
Sõõrumaa also added that he also does not fully understand the position of the International Olympic Committee, and indicated that the reasons for allowing the Russians to participate in the Olympics could be various,
from the desire to mediate and satisfy everyone’s wishes, to greater goals. IOC President Thomas Bach turned a blind eye to doping allegations that affected Russian athletes at the 2014 and 2018 Winter Olympics and has come under fire for calls to not punish Russian and Belarusian athletes solely on the basis of their governments’ actions.
Until now, Latvia, Finland, and Denmark are considering boycotting the Paris Olympic Games. The president of the Latvian Olympic Committee, Žoržs Tikmers, has confirmed the position of the committee: Latvia believes that participation in the Olympic Games is impossible if, as the war in Ukraine continues, athletes from Russia and Belarus also take part in the Olympics.
The Paris Olympic Games will take place from the 26th of July to the 11th of August, 2023.
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