"Doesn't matter": Olympic champion called for reaching out to "Russian warmongers" in Ukraine

Two-time Olympic champion Katharina Witt spoke in favor of allowing Russian athletes to participate in international competitions. The former German figure skater added that she did not see any benefit in excluding aggressors from tournaments, spitting on the situation of Ukrainian athletes, who have no opportunity to even train normally because of the Russian military invasion.

Witt said this in an interview with the newspaper Welt am Sonntag, writes DW. The four-time world champion, who was born in the GDR, remembered the war in Ukraine, but expressed her fear that the isolation of aggressors will lead to the separation of peoples on the planet.

"We speak the same language for which we don't need a dictionary. Why can't those in power share the same beliefs and communicate with each other as we do? After all, it is existentially necessary to reach out to one another, no matter what level. It is appalling that Russian warmongers have attacked Ukraine, but I fear that if communication is not established on a civil, human level, walls will be erected again in the minds of too many people in the long run," Witt said.

The day before, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach once again spoke in favor of returning athletes from Russia and Belarus to competition because "citizens should be able to be proud of their athletes."

As reported by OBOZREVATEL, Russian Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin complained that it is almost impossible for an aggressor country to challenge the IOC ban on the performance of athletes from Russia under the national flag. Famous Russian commentator Dmitry Guberniev expressed his certainty that Russia would not be allowed to the 2024 Olympics.

Only verified information on our Telegram channel Obozrevatel and Viber.Do not be fooled by fakes!