Descent on the neutral

Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko supported the decision of the world champion Sergei Shubenkov and other Russian athletes to speak at international competitions under a neutral flag. It is reported by TASS.

To date, five athletes have been submitted for participation in competitions under a neutral flag, including 110 meters of the world with barriers to Sergey Shubenkov and in the height of Maria Kuchina's heights.

“If our athletes are allowed under a neutral flag, we will only be happy. We already know that they are ours. We will support them,” said Mutko. “We will not connect anyone, and so we will know that he is a Russian. What are the questions for Shubekov? He is tested 48 times. Do not write about patriotic impulses, is it all. What is patriotism - not patriotism”? "

Shubenkov announced his decision the day before. This caused an ambiguous reaction. The two-time Olympic champion in sports gymnastics, the ex-deputy of the State Duma from United Russia Svetlana Khorkina said that under the white flag you can act only in emergency situations, for example, during hostilities.

Currently, Russian athletes are deprived of the opportunity to perform at international competitions due to the suspension of membership of the All-Russian Athletics Federation (VFLA) in the International Association of athletics federations (IAAF). Athletes can obtain permission from IAAF to participate in international starts only after the approval of their individual applications. At the same time, they will not be able to represent Russia before the recovery of VFL membership.

On January 11, national anti -doping organizations of 19 countries called on to remove Russia from all sports competitions , as well as to deprive it of the right to conduct international tournaments. "Based on the new, irrefutable evidence of the existence of the state doping system in Russia given by McLaren and its team, the group of leaders calls for the exclusion of Russian sports organizations from all international competitions until sports and the anti -doping system in the country are completely compliance with the WADA code," the statement said.

"The leaders are also asking to transfer all major international competitions from Russia and establish a moratorium on holding the upcoming tournaments in the country," the document says.

At the same time, Russian athletes who are not convicted of doping will be able to take part in competitions, but only as neutral athletes.