PRAGUE (AP) — Russian and Belarusian athletes should state loud and clear they condemn Russia for the struggle in Ukraine or be banned from subsequent 12 months’s Paris Olympics, hockey gold medalist Dominik Hašek advised The Associated Press.

Hašek, who received gold with the Czech Republic staff on the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, stated he's sure their presence on the Paris Games would in any other case lead to “a huge promotion of the Russian war.”

The NHL nice has been a distinguished and vocal critic of the International Olympic Committee’s advice that Russians and Belarusians compete in worldwide competitions as impartial athletes.

“Everybody knows where those athletes are from,” Hašek advised the AP in an interview. ”They would characterize the aggressive, imperialistic struggle and the crimes and killings linked to it.”

He stated it could be like supplying Russia with tanks, plane and ammunition.

The IOC and president Thomas Bach have formed the definition of neutrality — not publicly supporting the struggle, nor being contracted to the navy for the reason that invasion started in February 2022, competing with out flag, anthem or nationwide colours — that sports governing our bodies should resolve how or if to use.

“I’m convinced that we all, the whole democratic world, have to do all we can to prevent the Russian and Belarusian athletes from participating under the current conditions,” Hašek stated.

IOC officers have stated the Olympic physique might take its personal choice on the Russian athletes challenge “at the appropriate time” but additionally stated that excluding them on the premise of their passports alone was discrimination.

The 2024 Olympics open subsequent 12 months on July 26.

HAŠEK’S PLAN

A public and repeated condemnation of the struggle could be a vital situation for the athletes to be included within the Olympics, Hašek stated. Just signing a declaration with the identical content material wouldn’t be sufficient.

In trade, democratic international locations needs to be prepared to supply them and their households asylum and security. Hašek additionally floated the concept of making staff of refugees - a standard apply at latest Olympics - as a result of accepting them on Russia’s phrases would sign approval of the invasion.

“It’s an unbelievable promotion of the Russian war and it costs a lot of lives,” he stated. “It’s necessary we stop it.”

Hašek has been invited to go to the European Parliament subsequent month to current his views.

“I can’t predict what impact it might have but I want to do the best possible job to convince them, and then they can go on to convince others,” he stated.

Hašek has been proposing the exclusion of the athletes for the reason that begin of the Russian invasion in February 2022 and appealed notably to the NHL and the 2 tennis excursions in an open letter to participate in it. That has not occurred.

He is especially upset with the response of the NHL and commissioner Gary Bettman.

“Of course, I’m really sad about it because the NHL is still in my heart,” stated Hašek, who was generally known as the Dominator throughout his NHL profession.

Hašek received six Vezina Trophies because the league’s high goalie, and twice received the Hart Trophy because the NHL’s most dear participant - the one goalie to win the award twice - throughout a nine-year stint with the Buffalo Sabres.

He later helped the Detroit Red Wings win the Stanley Cup in 2002 and 2008 and led the Czechs to the Olympic gold in 1998. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2014.

He proposed to Bettman that the NHL ought to repay the contracts the Russian gamers signed as a approach of banning them. Otherwise, he stated, the NHL is partially answerable for what’s happening in Ukraine.

He stated he would demand the league contributes a major sum of money for Ukraine’s post-war renovation.

“It wouldn’t be just a few million but a large share of its income,” he stated. “My goal is not to harm the NHL but to make it pay for its behavior.”

Hašek stated tennis and different sports governing our bodies accepting the Russians ought to do the identical as a result of “they support the Russian war.”

NO BOYCOTT

Hašek stated he personally just isn't in favor of boycotting the Paris Olympics as a result of he doesn’t wish to deprive the athletes of their Olympic desires.

He stated the final probability to cease the Russians and “save a lot of lives” might be within the fingers of France, noting that as host nation it has the facility to disclaim them entry.

In early June, Hašek spent 5 days in Ukraine, together with in Kyiv and Kharkiv and within the cities of Irpin and Bucha which might be recovering from a brutal occupation by Russian forces.

His purpose was to specific his help for the nation in its struggle in opposition to Russian aggression and encourage the native hockey group, together with youth gamers, when a half of all ice rinks within the war-torn nation are unavailable.

Hašek has dismissed the critics who say sports shouldn't be combined with politics, noting international locations use their profitable athletes to realize their objectives.

“That’s been common and there’s nothing wrong about it until a state is engaged in killing and murdering and the athletes become a propaganda tool for it,” Hašek stated. “That’s the case of the Russian and Belarusian athletes. And we have to stop it.”

Copyright © 2023 The Washington Times, LLC.

Content Source: www.washingtontimes.com