Yesterday at a meeting of the Executive Committee (ExCo) of the European Olympic Committees (EOC), President of the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Ukraine Vadym Guttsait was invited to join the ExCo members and discuss the extremely difficult situation that continues to be faced with great bravery and determination by the Ukrainian sporting community.

European NOCs were the first to support their Ukrainian counterparts and a full Ukrainian team is currently present at the European Games Kraków-Malopolska 2023. Teams from Belarus and Russia were excluded from the European Games.

President Guttsait outlined the extreme difficulties faced by the Ukrainian sporting community since the Russian invasion. He also spoke of Ukraine’s opposition to the presence of Belarusian and Russian athletes at the Olympic Games Paris 2024. President Guttsait noted the links between Russian athletes and administrators, and the Russian state and armed forces. Speaking of the Ukrainian team’s participation in international competitions, he also thanked the EOC and European NOCs for their support.

EOC President Spyros Capralos responded to these points by noting the Olympic Movement’s sanctions against the Russian and Belarusian states. He further noted the mechanisms being put in place by International Federations – following International Olympic Committee recommendations – to ensure that athletes from Belarus and Russia with active links to their militaries, or who have voiced support for the war, remain ineligible to compete internationally.

President Capralos reiterated the EOC’s continued commitment to supporting Ukrainian teams and athletes as they prepare for Paris 2024. While competing for qualification points in some sports at the ongoing European Games here in Poland, Ukrainian athletes are also contesting opportunities for quota places and direct qualification to Paris in a number of others.

President Capralos congratulated the President on the performances of the Ukraine at the European Games, where they currently sit third in the medal table. Noting that the Olympic qualification period is ongoing, President Capralos urged President Guttsait to do all he could to enable Ukrainian athletes to compete at Paris 2024, by sending full Ukrainian teams to every possible qualifying event. President Capralos also made the point that boycotting qualification events would only harm Ukrainian athletes.