Ukrainian Presidential aide Mykhaylo Podolyak on Monday went guns blazing at the International Olympic Committee (IOC), accusing them of being nothing more than a "promoter of war" after the sports body indicated it was exploring ways for Russian athletes to participate in the upcoming games.
"(The) IOC is a promoter of war, murder, and destruction. The IOC watches with pleasure Russia destroying Ukraine and then offers Russia a platform to promote genocide and encourages their further killings," Podolyak said on Twitter.
"Russian money that buys Olympic hypocrisy doesn't have a smell of Ukrainian blood. Right, Mr. Bach?" he added, referring to IOC president Thomas Bach.
The IOC has faced a backlash from Ukraine after it said last week it was looking into a "pathway" for Russians to participate, including as neutral athletes.
Russia and its ally Belarus have been sidelined from most Olympic sports since Russian forces invaded Ukraine last February.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday that Russia's participation in the 2024 Paris Olympics would amount to showing that "terror can allegedly be something acceptable."
"As if it is possible to turn a blind eye to what Russia is doing to Kherson, to Kharkiv, to Bakhmut and Avdiivka," Zelenskyy said in his nightly address, referring to cities under constant Russian attacks.
Zelenskyy added that he sent a letter to President Emmanuel Macron on the matter following a phone call with the French leader last week.
"We must be sure that Russia will not be able to use it (the Olympics) or any other international sporting event to promote aggression or its state chauvinism," he said.
Ukraine's Sports Minister Vadym Goutzeit has warned his country could boycott the summer Olympics next year if Russian and Belarusian athletes are allowed to participate.
On Thursday, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) offered Russian and Belarusian athletes the chance to compete in this year's Asian Games.
