MOSCOW, September 5. /TASS/. A discrimination of Russian athletes is inadmissible and their rights must be protected, according to a Concept of Russia’s humanitarian policy abroad, endorsed by President Vladimir Putin on Monday.
"Russia’s full-fledged participation in Olympic tournaments and its disciplines should not be dependent on a conjectural policy of certain countries and biased approaches on behalf of representatives of sports international organizations," the document, published on Monday on the official web portal of legal information, stated.
"It is important to keep protecting the rights of Russian athletes and to thwart attempts of their discrimination," the document added.
The document also stressed the significance of supporting Russia’s Olympic and Paralympic Movements, urging the support of a broad involvement of Russian representatives in large-scale physical culture and sports international events.
On February 28, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) issued recommendations to international sports federations to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from taking part in international tournaments, citing Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine as the reason.
Following the IOC’s recommendations in late February, the majority of global sports federations decided to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from all international sports tournaments.
