"It's not peace anymore, it's war": Olympic champion Fetisov accuses IOC of disrespecting Russians

Two-time Olympic champion Vyacheslav Fetisov has called for the resignation of International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach. The former hockey player, who fiercely supports dictator Vladimir Putin and the war in Ukraine, accused the official of politicising sport, which led to the expulsion of athletes from Russia.

Fetisov said this in an interview with Moskovskyi Komsomolets. The two-time Stanley Cup winner complained that Russian Olympic champions are currently deprived of the opportunity to defend their achievements, and added that the IOC is obliged to maintain peace in the world.

"Pierre de Coubertin said: "Oh sport, you are the world!" And sport is no longer peace. Sport is already a war. The status of the current Olympic champions is also a factor. There are many of them in our country. And some of them no longer have the opportunity to compete and defend their titles. But the main component of the IOC's ideology is to maintain peace on our planet. It is precisely the observance of all the traditions and principles of Olympism that leads to peace. Therefore, for me, Thomas Bach is no longer the president of the IOC. If you cannot comply with the Olympic laws, then leave," said Fetisov.

Earlier, he complained that he could not travel around the world because of his support for the war in Ukraine, which he called "the policy of his state".

As OBOZREVATEL previously reported, Beijing 2022 Olympic champion Veronika Stepanova called the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) conditions for allowing athletes from Russia to compete filtered.

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