Bach's Successor Must Give Russia Cold Shoulder: Ukrainian Sports Minister

The successor to Thomas Bach as International Olympic Committee president must "embody the principles of justice" and that means refusing to welcome Russia back into the sporting world, Ukraine's Sports Minister Matviy Bidnyi has told AFP.

Seven candidates are vying to succeed Bach in an election in March but the German will step down in June 2025 after 12 years in charge.

Athletes from Russia and their allies Belarus were allowed to compete under a neutral flag at this year's Paris Olympics, having met strict criteria.

However, momentum appears to be gathering pace for Russia to be re-admitted to the international fold under its own flag.

One of the favourites for the IOC job, Juan Antonio Samaranch Junior, told AFP in September that Russia remained in violation of the Olympic Charter, but said "once the reasons for the suspension are removed, we will have to work very hard to get Russia back".

Bidnyi, though, says over two years into a war sparked by Russia's invasion of Ukraine there should be no softening of the line.

"Our position is clear: sports cannot be a propaganda tool for an aggressor state," he said.

"There can be no return under the national flag of a country that continues to wage the largest war in Europe since World War II.

"If IOC presidential candidates want to be global sports leaders, they must embody the principles of justice."

Bidnyi, 45, who has been in his post since November 2023, said the candidates should come to Ukraine to see the devastating impact of the conflict.

"We would invite them to visit Ukraine, see destroyed sports facilities, and talk to the families of deceased coaches and athletes," he said.

"Perhaps then they would understand that allowing Russia to return under its national flag is not just a dubious step but a concession to Russian hybrid influence."

Whatever the future holds for the IOC, Bidnyi is excited that "Ukraine stands on the brink of a major transformation towards EU membership".

The EU agreed in June this year to start accession negotiations with Kyiv.

Bidnyi concedes that in the sporting world, Ukraine needs to sharpen up its act to meet European standards.

"This includes transparency in financing, developing grassroots sports through a network of sports clubs, strengthening the role of sports federations, and engaging youth," he said.

Bidnyi says Ukraine is lagging behind when it comes to engagement in sport.

"In France over 70% of citizens actively participate in sports through more than 160,000 sports clubs," said the former bodybuilder.

"In Ukraine, only 15% of the population engages in regular physical activity, and we have around 2,000 clubs.

"We must implement changes quickly, and sports clubs must become the foundation for sports federations."

There has been talk of bringing the war to an end with incoming US president Donald Trump keen to broker a peace agreement.

Bidnyi says if that happened, Russia should foot the bill for the rebuilding of sporting infrastructure, although he added that "no amount of money can compensate for the lives of Ukrainian citizens lost".

He says that the process "must be approached systematically."

"We will support the development of community sports clubs, multifunctional spaces for various sports, with appropriate conditions for veterans, persons with disabilities, children, and youth."

Ukraine has enjoyed a successful year sporting-wise given the extremely tough circumstances.

Yaroslava Mahuchikh broke the 37-year-old women's high jump world record and was one of her country's three Olympic gold medallists -- they won 12 medals in all.

Their Paralympians brought home 82 medals, 22 of them gold, and in May boxer Oleksandr Usyk defended his world heavyweight title by inflicting British opponent Tyson Fury's first ever defeat. They meet in a rematch this weekend.

However, it is another boxer, Maksym Galinichev, one of over 500 coaches and athletes who have died during the war, that sparked "very strong emotions" in Bidnyi.

Guests at Ukraine's house in Paris during the Olympics were addressed by his avatar.

"Maksym was supposed to compete in the Olympic ring in Paris but died on the frontlines of the Russian-Ukrainian war," said Bidnyi.

IT specialists synthesised his voice and facial expressions to give the fallen Ukrainian athlete a voice.

"Foreign guests were visibly moved to tears as they listened to Maksym and received symbolic copies of his dog tag," Bidnyi said.

"These emotions are beyond words."