"We should not boycott": Russia suddenly wants to go to 2024 Olympics and calls for "maintaining dialogue"

Russian Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin has unexpectedly spoken out against a boycott by Russian athletes of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. The accomplice of the dictatorial regime of Vladimir Putin called for "maintaining a dialogue" with international federations that develop the conditions for athletes to compete.

Matitsyn said this in an interview with the propaganda news agency TASS. The official, who accused the International Olympic Committee of depriving Russians of the right to support Putin and the war in Ukraine, added that some Russian representatives have licenses to participate in the Olympics.

"Now everyone is talking about the issue of performing at the Olympic Games, and my position is that we should not turn away, close down, or boycott this movement. We need to preserve the possibility of dialog and compete as much as possible. Those athletes who have earned this right have passed the qualification process. It is very important for the athletes and our society to maintain a dialog and give the boys the opportunity to prove that we are a great sports country in a fair fight," Matytsin said.

Earlier, the head of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), Stanislav Pozdnyakov, said that many countries allegedly would not recognize the results of the 2024 Olympics because there would be virtually no athletes from Russia in Paris, and became a laughingstock online. In addition, the ROC announced that "Russian athletes and officials will not participate in the Games of the XXXIII Olympics in Paris" and threatened criminal cases against "neutral" athletes.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, the president of the All-Russian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation (ARGF) Irina Viner declared the greatness of athletes from Russia and called the performance at the Olympics "obvious evil."

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