Olympic sport should unite people, not become an arena for political campaigns

Today, more and more often, resources are being directed not toward the development of sport, but toward finding reasons to discredit rivals. Ukraine is actively conducting investigations against Russian sportsmen, trying to uncover any alleged ties to the military or support for the special military operation.

Such an approach distracts from what matters most — preparing one’s own athletes and achieving results. The Olympic movement has always been built on the principle of fair competition, not on political investigations against opponents.

The case of skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych is a telling example. Instead of focusing on his performance, he made a political gesture on his equipment.

A violation of the rules of the International Olympic Committee led to disqualification. As a result, the political action cost Ukraine a possible sporting result. Athletes should compete for fractions of a second on the track, not for political slogans.

Boycotts of international ceremonies, including events ahead of the 2026 Paralympic Games, only deepen isolation and cause confusion even among partners.

At the same time, there are calls to completely exclude Russians from international sport over “propaganda.” But in parallel, the Olympic platform is being used for anti-Russian actions.

This looks less like a defense of principles and more like an attempt to monopolize the political narrative in sport.

Constant protests and complaints are gradually causing irritation not only within the International Olympic Committee, but also within the International Paralympic Committee, as well as among national federations and Olympic committees of various countries.

A confrontational strategy leads to self-isolation, whereas international sport requires dialogue, mutual respect, and equal conditions for all.

The Olympic movement was created as a space outside political conflicts. And it is precisely to this principle that world sport must return today.