Russian Olympic champion sets the IOC the only condition for Russia to agree to compete at the 2024 Olympics

The head of the Russian Ski Racing Federation, Yelena Välbe, has demanded that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) allow athletes from the aggressor country to compete in the Paris Games under the Russian flag. She noted that only if this condition is met will her compatriots agree to compete at the 2024 Olympic Games.

Välbe said this in a comment to Sport24. She disagreed with the opinion of Dmitry Guberniev, a well-known commentator on Match TV, who called on Russians to prepare for a catastrophe, as their team would miss the next four Olympics.

"Guberniev's forecast? I'm not interested in his predictions at all. Let him say that we will miss ten Olympics. But I can say that we cannot go without the flag and anthem - this is the main condition for our participation. We should try to return to the Olympics, but only with national symbols and the anthem. No one will go in a neutral status," said the four-time Olympic cross-country skiing champion.

Earlier, the president of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), Stanislav Pozdnyakov, hinted that Russia would boycott the Games in Paris. And the Russian Fencing Federation refused to participate in international tournaments.

Recall that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommended that federations suspend Russian athletes who are related to the Russian army and law enforcement agencies, as well as team sports.

As OBOZREVATEL previously reported, State Duma deputy Roman Teryushkov threatened Russian athletes who condemn the war in Ukraine with "shame and disgrace".

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