Former Russian head basketball coach Sergei Jelevich is furious over the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) intention to prevent representatives of the aggressor country from participating in team competitions at the 2024 Games. The former Khimki Moscow Region coach demanded that the organisation allow Russian athletes to participate with their flag and anthem in all disciplines.

Jelevich said this in an interview with the propaganda TV channel Match TV. He literally spewed bile at the IOC and spoke in the language of Kremlin propaganda about protecting Russia's interests in sport, and threatened the aggressors' imminent return to international tournaments.

"If they make such a decision, they are just idiots! And what do sports and politics have to do with it? These are two different industries. This is complete idiocy. Who should be punished? People for defending their rights? This is just stupid. They will not achieve anything by doing so. We will participate anyway. And we will participate in team sports. Yes, maybe not immediately, but there is still a logic to it. We have to defend our interests in sports. What's the point of all these neutral flags? Everyone knows they are Russians anyway. We have to play under our flag and with our anthem, and we have to defend this position," Jelevich said.

On January 25, the IOC issued a new statement on the suspension of athletes from Russia and Belarus, in which it said it was ready to consider the return of athletes from these countries to international competitions. The athletes must meet certain criteria, including not supporting the war in Ukraine.

As OBOZREVATEL previously reported, two-time Olympic biathlon champion Dmitry Vasilyev called the IOC Executive Committee a "ball of vileness and hypocrisy" on the eve of the meeting.

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