A recent poll conducted by the Median agency and released by Czech Radio found that a majority of Czechs (54%) would not permit Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris if the war in Ukraine is still ongoing next year. Only 37% of respondents supported the participation of athletes from these two countries in the Paris Olympics.

According to Median director Premysl Cech, opposition to the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes came mostly from young people and voters of the right-wing Civic Democrats (ODS) and TOP 09. However, Cech pointed out that the decision on who will or will not take part in the Olympics will not be made yet, as the games are not due until July and August 2024.

Sporting representatives of dozens of countries are opposed to the participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus in the Paris Olympics. Ukraine has threatened to boycott the Olympics if Russia is permitted to participate. However, the Czech Republic does not plan to join the boycott, according to the National Sport Agency (NSA) and the Czech Foreign Ministry.

The potential exclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes from the Olympics is part of a broader geopolitical conflict. Tensions between Russia and Ukraine have been rising for several years, and in 2022, Russia launched a military invasion of Ukraine. The war has caused significant damage to Ukraine’s infrastructure and resulted in the displacement of thousands of people.

As the conflict continues, countries around the world are grappling with how to respond. Some have imposed economic sanctions on Russia, while others have imposed travel bans on Russian officials. The question of whether to permit Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in the Olympics is just one aspect of this broader geopolitical conflict.

In the Czech Republic, the debate over the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in the Olympics is likely to continue. While a majority of Czechs oppose their participation, it remains to be seen whether the government will take any action to exclude them. Regardless of the outcome, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine is likely to continue to be a major issue in Czech foreign policy for years to come.

Article by Prague Forum