Russia's Media Condemns 'Hellish Olympics' in Response to Paris Ban

Monday 05 August 2024 - 15:15

In the heart of Moscow, a peculiar scene unfolds along the river that winds past the Kremlin. Tokyo 2020 gold medalist Mariya Lasitskene, known for her prowess in the high jump, is not defending her title in Paris. Instead, she participates in an unconventional fusion of athletics, fashion, and music on a boat cruising through the Russian capital.

This stark contrast to the Olympic festivities in Paris is not by choice. Team Russia's absence from the 2024 Games results directly from the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. World Athletics' ruling has gone a step further, prohibiting even neutral participation for Russian track and field athletes.

The pain of exclusion is palpable in Lasitskene's words. "I can't even bring myself to follow the athletics at these Olympic Games," she confides. "It's too painful. We should be there. The Olympics are a festival, the greatest event in the world."

Meanwhile, the Russian media has taken a decidedly acerbic stance toward Paris 2024. Following an opening ceremony featuring drag artists and what some perceived as a parody of Leonardo da Vinci's *The Last Supper*, the tabloid *Moskovsky Komsomolets* dubbed the event "The Games of Satan." Another publication, *Argumenty i Fakty*, went so far as to label them "The Olympics of Hell."

Russian MP Mariya Butina expresses her disappointment, stating, "I thought the Olympic Games were about sport. No longer. It's about politics, religion, everything. It's very sad because the original idea of the Olympics was to create peace." When confronted about Russia's actions in Ukraine, Butina echoes the official narrative, claiming Russia is "protecting its people"—a stance that starkly contrasts with the international community's view of the conflict as an invasion of a sovereign nation.

The absence of Olympic coverage on Russian television is a notable departure from tradition, reminiscent of the Soviet Union's boycott of the Los Angeles Olympics four decades ago. This time, only 15 Russians are competing in Paris as "neutral athletes" in select sports, stripped of national symbols and subject to rigorous vetting to ensure no ties to military or security agencies and no active support for the war in Ukraine.

This is not Russia's first brush with sporting bans. In 2019, the country faced exclusion from major international events due to state-sponsored doping offenses. While that suspension was later reduced, its shadow still looms over Russian athletics.

In stark contrast to the Parisian spectacle, a Moscow park hosts an alternative sports festival organized by a Russian nationalist group. Here, traditional Russian recreations take center stage, featuring "stick wrestling" and "wall-to-wall fighting"—a far cry from the refined competitions of the Olympics.

The event also takes on a militaristic tone, with attendees donning army fatigues and posing with firearms for photographs. The sentiment among participants seems to echo a growing disinterest in the Paris Games. As one wall-to-wall fighter, Vadim, puts it, "I haven't followed the Olympics for ages. Not since Russia was excluded from it. Russia's being cancelled everywhere."

For athletes like Mariya Lasitskene, the situation is bittersweet. While she has alternative events to occupy her time, she acknowledges the unique allure of the Olympics. "Every athlete wants to compete with the best. You can only do that at international competitions," she reflects. "Sport is the battle of the strongest. I do miss it."

As Paris 2024 unfolds without Russian participation, the contrast between the global celebration of sport and the alternative narratives emerging from Moscow paints a complex picture of international relations, athletic aspirations, and the enduring impact of geopolitical tensions on the world of sports.