On March 24, Sports and Tourism Minister Camille Bortenzouk met his British counterpart Nigel Huddleston in London.
The purpose of the Polish Minister’s visit to Great Britain was to discuss further possible sporting sanctions against Russia in connection with that country’s aggression against Ukraine.
The two ministers agreed that Russia’s isolation in world sport must be severe and apply to all sports.
Among other things, the question of the suspension of Russian and Belarusian activists in the structures of the governing bodies of world sports federations, for example members of the Executive Committee of the International Olympic Committee. The Polish minister expressed his opinion that it is evil at this point in history to allow Russians to take leadership positions in world sport.
“We consider it inappropriate that the International Olympic Committee recommended sports federations around the world to remove Russian athletes from international competitions, and at the same time the Russians are still in their ranks,” Minister Kamel Bortnizok said during the meeting.
It was also discussed the adoption of effective mechanisms that would make it possible to ensure that Russian players who support Russia’s policy and aggression towards Ukraine will not appear in sports arenas around the world in the future.
The two ministers agreed on the need for more meetings and coordination of mutual positions with their European and non-European counterparts in order to create the broadest possible alliance of the free world in order to completely exclude Russia from world sport.
