Russian athletes should not compete under their flag, says Pavel

Czech President Petr Pavel stated that Russian athletes should not compete under their flag at international events due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. He acknowledged the unfairness to athletes but emphasized the need for this stance until the conflict ends. The Court of Arbitration for Sport recently allowed Russian teams to participate in hockey championships, a decision opposed by the International Ice Hockey Federation. Minister Boris Šťastný protested this ruling, asserting that Russian athletes should not represent their country during the aggression against Ukraine. Prime Minister Andrej Babiš and other officials echoed this sentiment, while some, like Tomio Okamura, argued against punishing athletes for political decisions.