Russia accused International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach on Tuesday of participating in a “conspiracy” with Ukraine to prevent its most valuable athletes from participating in this year’s Olympics in Paris.

This was stated by the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, Maria ZakharovaPhoto: Oleksandr Wilf / Sputnik / Profimedia

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova made the announcement after two Russian comedians known as Vovan and Lexus released a recording of a conversation with Thomas Bach in which the IOC president was made to believe he was talking to an African sports official, Reuters and Agerpres reported.

In this conversation, Thomas Bach noted that the IOC has created a special group to monitor the media and the Internet and to prevent Russian athletes who have made political statements in support of their government from participating in the Olympics.

“We also offered the Ukrainian side — not only offered, but also asked — to provide us with their information about the behavior of such Russian athletes or officials,” Bach’s words can be heard in English on the recording.

Zakharova wants a “thorough investigation”

Zakharova wrote in Telegram that Bach “entered into a political-administrative and, apparently, criminal conspiracy with a certain party,” that is, Ukraine, “to prevent strong athletes from participating in international competitions.”

“The relations of IOC President Bach with the Olympic Committee of Ukraine and its officials, as well as the recognition of the ‘request to monitor Russian athletes’ should be the subject of a thorough investigation,” she added.

Athletes from Russia and Belarus have special conditions for participating in the 2024 Olympics

Relations between Russia and the IOC have deteriorated significantly ahead of the Olympics, where Russian and Belarusian athletes will compete as neutrals, without flags or anthems, because of the war in Ukraine. These athletes were also banned from participating in the opening ceremony.

On March 21, the IOC noticed a new incident in the Russian disinformation campaign launched against it. “The fake calls, purporting to be from the African Union Commission, appear to have been made by the same group that has already attacked several world political leaders and other dignitaries in a similar manner,” the IOC said in a brief statement at the time.

The IOC announced the creation of a commission to assess the admission of every Russian or Belarusian athlete who qualified for the Olympics in Paris.

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