Arturs Irbe boycotts Olympics If Russia is allowed to attend
Large parts of the world’s ice hockey elite are gathered in Stockholm for the World Cup, but two otherwise given countries are missing. Russia and Belarus have been suspended for the past three years due to the attack war in Ukraine.
Soon, however, they can be let into the heat again. International Olympic Committee IOC’s newly elected chairman Kirsty Coventry has opened to discuss If Russia is to be able to participate in the Olympics again – maybe already at the Winter Games in Milan and Cortina 2026.
One who reacts strongly to this opportunity is Latvian former ice hockey goalkeeper Arturs Irbe, who is now in Stockholm as a goalkeeper coach in the Latvian national team.
– To begin with, the war is not over. Innocent is still being killed and families are still torn apart in Ukraine. As long as this is going on, you can’t acquit anyone prematurely, he says.
– As far as sports are concerned, it is obvious to me that they must not be allowed to participate in these events.
The International Ice Hockey Association IIHF Made in February a decision to continue to shut out Russia and Belarus from international competitors. But in one Interview with SVT At the beginning of May, chairman Luc Tardiff said that IIHF will follow the IOC’s decision on the matter – and thus allow Russia to play the Olympics if it is decided that way.
Russia is also included in the preliminary group division to the Olympics – where they are drawn in the same group as Latvia.
It is further at the forefront of 58-year-old Arturs Irbe who became world-known in the 1990s as charismatic goalkeeper in the NHL team San Jose Sharks and Carolina Hurricanes, who long refused to abandon their outdated Jofa helmet and their old protection.
He was named the best goalkeeper of the World Cup 1990, when he played for and won gold with the Soviet Union. But the following year, IRBE refused to continue to represent the Soviet national team and actively participated in the protests that eventually led to Latvia becoming independent.
Now he is completely clear on how he will act if the IOC turns on the issue of Russia.
– There are different ways to handle it all, but in any case I will not go to the Olympics if Russia is allowed to participate, says Irbe.
– But it’s easy for me to say, because now I’m just a coach. I am not a player who put in years of hard work to get the chance to play in the Olympics. There everyone must be allowed to make their personal choices. I will not blame anyone who chooses to stand up and play.
Arturs Irbe is clear that It is not possible to distinguish between sports and politics; To let in Russian athletes is to say okay to Russia’s aggression.
– So it was during the Soviet era and it still is. As long as the national songs are played and the winning country’s flag is raised after matches, it becomes politics.
– I am not a decision maker, but it is my definite opinion that Russia must still wait a long time to return to the political and worldly scene. First, they must atone for their crimes and pay both for structure and also damages for what they have made. You can call what is going on what you want, but it must be clear to everyone who is the attacker and who is the victim in this situation, says Irbe.
Although IIHF has clearly excluded Russia in recent years still continues the country’s influence on the sport. In the NHL, Russian players have continued to be active and recently praised Alexander Ovetjkin, who openly supported Vladimir Putin, big when he set a new goal record in the league.
Sport is no longer sport, it has completely become a business
According to sources of US ESPN there are forces within the NHL that press In order for Russia’s suspension to be lifted, as it has become increasingly difficult to scout Russian talents that the NHL team is now losing.
– It is difficult to know what is happening in the corridors of power. Clearly, it has meant an economic bang for hockey to shut out Russia, says Arturs Irbe. Gazprom (the Russian oil company) basically sponsored the entire international hockey association and made sure that many there could live comfortably. Sport is no longer sport, it has completely become to Business.
– I hope that common sense will win, but it is impossible to know if it will be so.
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