Political neutrality underlined at International Athletes' Forum

BEIJING, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Political neutrality was key on the agenda at Thursday's virtual 2021 International Athletes' Forum, which discussed key topics including the Olympic Agenda 2020+5 and the Olympic Games.

The two-day forum, held online for the first time, was attended by nearly 2,000 Athletes' Commission (AC) members worldwide.

Yang Yang, chairperson of the AC of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games organizing committee, discussed political intervention that is threatening athletes' right to participate in the Olympic Games.

"I believe the Olympics is the unique platform for athletes from around the world to be together and pursue their dreams. Therefore, I would like to propose that the clean and qualified athletes' right of participating in the Olympics should be protected in the Olympic Charter or athletes' declaration," the former Olympic short track speed skating champion said.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach echoed Yang's proposal, emphasizing that "political neutrality has to be respected by all the components of the Olympic Movement."

"With regards to the politicization of the Olympic Games and boycotts, the position of the IOC and the Olympic Movement is very clear. Our mission enshrined in the Olympic Charter is to unite the world and to be the event and the only event which brings the entire world together in a peaceful competition," Bach said, adding that that aim could only be achieved through building bridges instead of walls.

The former Olympic fencing gold medalist also recalled his own experience of boycotting the Moscow 1980 Olympic Games to stress that it is not only a right but also an obligation to participate in the Olympic Games, which was added to the Olympic Charter following the incident. As he put it, athletes shoulder the responsibility of contributing to the unifying power of the Olympics, especially "in an aggressively divisive world we are living in at this moment."

"This is something what is maybe more needed than ever. What also the world is really looking to have at least this one area of sport, in particular the Olympic Games, where we can still come together, where we are sharing the same values, and where we show that we can coexist in friendship while having maybe the toughest competition of our life," Bach concluded.

The 10th International Athletes' Forum also marked the 40th anniversary of the IOC AC. Enditem