Olympic First: War of Words for Olympic Truce
The Russian war against Ukraine ignited sharp exchanges Tuesday from diplomats at the United Nations debating the Olympic Truce for the Paris 2024 Olympics. Since 1992, the Truce has been adopted in advance of the Games without fanfare: eight Summer Games, nine Winter Games.
Paris 2024 will be the ninth consecutive Summer Games. This is the first time it’s been a source of conflict at the U.N.
Russia complained that it faces discrimination by the IOC, which is accused of using a “pseudo-basis” to suspend the Russian Olympic Committee last month. The IOC says it took that action because the ROC tried to install new Olympic committees in land considered Ukraine territory. Deputy Permanent Representative Maria Zabolotskaya spoke for the Russian Federation.
Ukraine charged Russia with violating the terms of the Olympic Truce three times: in 2008 by invading Georgia, in 2014 with the occupation of Crimea, and in 2022 with the invasion of Ukraine. The Ukraine diplomat says Russian forces are “raping and stealing” their way through Ukraine.
This first-ever game of politics with the Olympic Truce also includes the warfare between Israel and Hamas. While Russia and Ukraine were exchanging barbs Egypt and Syria used talk of the truce to call for an end to the Israeli invasion of Gaza.
In his remarks to the general assembly, IOC President Thomas Bach warned that politics pose a threat to the independence and universality of the Olympic Games. Speaking a few minutes after Russia discussed plans it is making for Friendship Games next September, Bach said the splinter event could help destroy the Olympics.
“As we have just heard, one or the other government is even planning to organize their own political sport events. Especially the latter, if realized, would mean that sport becomes a part of the political tensions and divisions in our world. This would lead to the political fragmentation of international sport. It would lead to sport competitions taking place along political lines: The Games of Political Bloc A. The Games of Political Bloc B. And so on. In such fully politically fragmented sport, there would be no more world championships, in the true sense of the word.”
“In such politically fragmented sport, truly universal Olympic Games would not be possible anymore,” Bach said.
Speaking to reporters after the general assembly, Bach downplayed worry over Friendship Games. “We are not there yet,” he said about the proposed event in Russia.
Asked about the effect of the war between Israel and Hamas on sports events, Bach said the IOC is monitoring the situation for ways it could help if needed. The IOC president did point out that the IOC already follows a two-state policy regarding Israel and Palestine. The IOC recognizes NOCs for both entities. Bach says the IOC is communicating with both NOCs.
Paris 2024 chief Tony Estanguet opened the truce presentation with an optimistic tone, a 10-minute pep talk on how Paris will deliver Games at a time “when the world needs sport”. He managed to steer clear of any political comments, keeping to the talking points of Paris 2024 and its motto “Games Wide Open”.
Regardless of the political flack generated around the resolution benignly titled “Building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal”, the Truce was adopted with 118 votes in favor and two abstentions. Bach said the absence of any no votes was a “clear signal” of the need for the Olympics in today’s world.
Avoiding conflict is actually just one of a number of points within the resolution, which is modeled after previous editions. None of them have been controversial.
Among its points:
- It calls for “support for the International Olympic Committee in its efforts to promote peace and human understanding through sport and the Olympic ideal”.
- It notes “with appreciation that the IOC has allocated the same number of quota places to male and female athletes”.
- Stresses Olympics “organized in the spirit of peace, mutual understanding, friendship, tolerance and inadmissibility of discrimination of any kind”.
- Finally , the document “calls upon all Member States to cooperate with the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee in their efforts to use sport as a tool to promote peace, dialogue and reconciliation in areas of conflict during and beyond the period of the Olympic and Paralympic Games”.