FIFA and the International Olympic Committee have repeatedly helped legitimize Russian President Vladimir Putin’s dictatorship. Now that they have finally come to their senses, perhaps they can start applying their new standards across the board.
The IOC, fresh off of letting China’s genocidal regime host the 2022 Winter Olympics, finally discovered a conscience. In light of Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, the IOC Executive Board recommended that all international sports organizations not invite or allow Russian or Belarusian athletes and officials to be a part of international competitions. The board also recommended that no sports events be organized in Belarus or Russia. Belarus had been banned by the IOC from hosting events, but Russia hosted the 2014 Winter Olympics.
Meanwhile, FIFA offered a weak stance initially. The international soccer governing body had taken the pointless stand that the Russian national team would be forced to compete under the initials RFU instead of Russia and would not be able to play the country’s national anthem or use its flag. Those meaningless measures had previously been used for the Olympics, from which Russia had been “banned” because of its state-sanctioned doping operation, but its athletes were able to compete.
Today’s FIFA decision is totally unacceptable. We are not interested in participating in this game of appearances. Our stance remains intact: Polish National Team will NOT PLAY with Russia, no matter what the name of the team is.
— Cezary Kulesza (@Czarek_Kulesza) February 27, 2022
FIFA has cracked down quite a bit more, albeit under pressure. Poland refused to play its scheduled World Cup qualifying match against Russia and said that letting Russia compete under a different name would not cut it. Sweden and the Czech Republic, who would have been next to play Russia, also announced they would boycott. Now, FIFA has decided to eject Russia from World Cup qualifying and ban Russian club teams from international competition.
This represents a marked difference from the past for both organizations. The IOC constantly claimed that it was above politics when it came to China’s genocide of the Uyghurs and threats to the sovereignty of other nations. FIFA, arguably the most corrupt sports organization in the world, let Russia host the most recent World Cup in 2018. The IOC and FIFA both helped prop up Putin on the world stage with their biggest sporting events. Now, they are finally joining the rest of the world in realizing the threat that Putin poses.
It’s a welcome start and one that is surprising given the track records of both organizations. But now, they must apply these standards across the board, starting with China, which the IOC just finished pandering to. This is the chance for the IOC and FIFA to turn the corner and stop rewarding authoritarians and human rights abusers. Here’s hoping they stay on this path.
