Despite Norway’s success at the World Cup, Norwegian commentators were calling it “a dark week for sports,” after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided to recommend Russia’s return to the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028. Russian athletes have been banned from taking part in the Olympics under their own flag since 2016, because of doping and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Now the IOC has decided that Russian athletes should be able to return after the Russian Olympic Committee released control of athletic organizations in several areas of Ukraine. The IOC also noted that Russian athletes shouldn’t suffer because of decisions made by Russian authorities.
Oslo-based newspaper Dagsavisen was among those demanding that Norwegian officials and others challenge the IOC’s decision. While the leader of Norway’s national athletics federation made it clear that it disagreed with the IOC’s recommendation, Dagsavisen editorialized that the government minister in charge of culture and sports was “shockingly silent” about the IOC’s decision and should clearly condemn it.
NewsinEnglish.no staff
