Sports Minister Eduard Novak said Romania is part of an approach launched by several countries demanding that the International Olympic Committee ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Romania demands the exclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes from the 2024 Olympics

“According to the ministers of other states who have taken a position on this matter, we believe that now is not the time to consider the issue of Russian and Belarusian athletes being able to return to the Olympic Games.

The decision was made after careful analysis, following an approach in which we involved experts from both our ministry and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, from where we also got their perspective. In this regard, we condemn the war of aggression against Ukraine, as well as the support provided in this regard.

We submitted our positions in advance, even before the meeting on February 10. I also asked that Romania be part of a joint letter to be signed by the representatives of the states that support this approach.

I think that beyond any speculation that some people make in the public space on this subject, it is important to keep in mind that sport is an ambassador of peace and conveys to us, above all, the most healthy values, equality, inclusion, Olympism, fair play and long-term development.

At the same time, the Ministry of Sports offered support to Ukrainian immigrants who arrived in Romania through access to our sports bases and the integration of their children into sports at the local level” – Eduard Novak on Facebook.

A group of 35 countries, including the US, Germany and Australia, will demand that Russian and Belarusian athletes be banned from the 2024 Olympics, Lithuania’s sports minister said on Friday.

>> Russia says banning its athletes from the Olympics is “unacceptable” / Moscow considers the proposal “humiliating”