Statement by the Yabloko party, 6.12.2017

The exclusion of one of the major sports powers from participation in the World Olympic Games is an unprecedented situation and seriously undermines Russia’s authority for many years to come.

This decision will remain on the conscience of the International Olympic Committee, but we must ask the government and the President of our country, how has it happened, that against the backdrop of [the government’s] endless talk about the growth of Russian influence in the world, we have become outcasts whose flag can not appear at the main sporting event of the world.

The ban for our team [to participate in the Olympics] directly results from the irresponsible policies of the country’s leadership, who, in order to “throw dust into the eyes” of the world have made lies and the use of doping part of the state policies.

Immediate responsibility for this failure lies on Vitaly Mutko, [ex Minister of Sports until October 2016 and now Vice Premier responsible for sports, tourism and youth policies], and last year we demanded his resignation, and President Vladimir Putin, who instead conducting and honest investigation and dismissing the Minister of Sports from his post raised him to the Vice Premier of the government. Putin has put the country and athletes under attack and has no moral right to again be nominated to the presidency.

In this difficult situation, each athlete should take an independent decision whether to participate in the Olympics under a neutral flag or not. Neither the President nor anyone else has the right to prohibit athletes from accepting an invitation to compete in the Olympics under a neutral flag. The perpetrators of national humiliation should not decide the fate of honest athletes.

Emilia Slabunova,

Yabloko Chair