Ukrainian basketball continues its fight on the international diplomatic front. Last month, the public organization “A-League,” which organizes the capital’s amateur championship, sent an official open letter to the headquarters of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Their primary demand was to overturn the decision to temporarily lift sanctions on the Russian Olympic Committee and to prevent Russian and Belarusian athletes from participating in the Olympic Games.
Recently, the head of “A-League,” Denys Yevdokymenko, received an official response from the IOC, signed by Director of Relations with National Olympic Committees, James MacLeod, on behalf of the organization’s President.
In a three-page letter, the IOC attempted to clarify its legal stance. The committee claims that the ban on the Russian Olympic Committee was temporarily lifted because Russia allegedly formally “excluded from its composition” the sports councils from the occupied territories of Ukraine.
Furthermore, the IOC appeals to the principle of “neutrality,” arguing that there are currently 65 other armed conflicts worldwide, and athletes should not be held accountable for their governments’ actions. However, the response emphasizes a new rule in the Olympic Charter: from now on, eligibility will depend not only on sporting results but also on athletes’ ability to be “role models who respect and promote a peaceful society.”
“We categorically disagree with the IOC’s position on ‘neutrality,’ especially when Russian sport is financed by a terrorist state. Our basketball halls are destroyed, and many players are now serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” commented Denys Yevdokymenko, President of A-League. “Nevertheless, the fact that the top leadership of world sport responds directly to inquiries from Ukrainian civil organizations is very important. It shows that civil society can and must exert pressure on international institutions. We fully support the position of World Athletics, which has maintained a strict ban on Russians, and we call on the entire Ukrainian basketball community to unite efforts on the diplomatic front.”
Meanwhile, “A-League” continues preparations for the new season, proving that Ukrainian basketball cannot be stopped.
