Sports chiefs face losing battle to keep sport separate from politics
Politically, there are concerns that lifting bans on countries excluded from international competitions could embolden future aggressors to invade neighbouring countries and commit atrocities without facing the consequences.
Ukrainian and Russian athletes will compete at the Youth Olympics, testing efforts to keep sport neutral amid ongoing war.
Russian athletes will compete under their flag and anthem for the first time since 2020.
Coventry emphasizes keeping sport neutral and separate from politics.
Terrence Burns states sport has never been fully separate from politics.
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IOC president Kirsty Coventry said athletes could only inspire others if allowed to compete, stressing that sport must remain strictly neutral and free from political interference. (AFP pic)PARIS: IOC president Kirsty Coventry's desire is that "politics does not take over on the field of play", but Ukraine and former executives from her organisation have told AFP that politics and sport remain inseparable.
Coventry's view will be sorely tested when Ukrainian and Russian athletes -- the nations embroiled in a war sparked by Russian President Vladimir Putin launching an invasion of Ukraine in 2022 -- compete side-by-side in the Youth Olympics which start in the Senegalese capital Dakar on Saturday.
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