Artem Dalakyan, the WBA world champion, called on IOC President Thomas Bach to prevent Russian and Belarusian athletes from participating in the 2024 Olympic Games.
“Dear members of the IOC Executive Board, dear Mr. President Thomas Bach, I call on the International Olympic Committee not to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete and strongly condemn Russian aggression against my people. The silence of athletes is support for the aggressive actions of their state leaders, who kill civilians, therefore they have no right to compete on international sports grounds. Many countries will be forced to boycott the Olympic Games if Russian and Belarusian athletes take part. The IOC has always been out of political action, but during the war it is impossible to be an outsider and indifferent to the killings in Ukraine. The International Olympic Committee, as the Ambassador of Peace, can make it clear that it is impossible to act with impunity in the civilized world,” the boxer said.