Izvestia - PAVEL ROZHKOV: "VACCINATION ON THE GAMES IN TOKYO IS NON-MANDATORY, BUT IS WELCOME"
The Tokyo Summer Olympics and Paralympics, slated for August and September, will be held in highly unusual conditions. This is due to the pandemic, due to which the competition has already been postponed by one year. And Russian athletes will face the need to perform in uniform without their own flag, under a different name, and the national anthem of the Russian Federation will not sound during the awarding ceremony.
The sanctions are valid until December 2022. Now the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) and the Russian Paralympic Committee (RPC) are coordinating with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and CAS the symbols and anthem of their teams for the Tokyo Games. It is not excluded that during the awarding ceremony of the Russians "Katyusha" will sound.
Pavel Rozhkov, the first vice-president of the RPC, spoke in an interview with Izvestia about how these issues are being coordinated, as well as about the Paralympic Games scheduled for August 25 - September 6 in an interview with Izvestia.
How are preparations for the Tokyo Games going now?
"We now have a lot of contacts with the IPC. This is due to the pandemic issues and the measures that are being taken by the IPC and the IOC so that the Games in Tokyo go as they should. There is a whole roadmap of 50 points. They are primarily aimed at maximum savings funds, improving the efficiency of events, etc. In February, the IOC and IPC released playbooks with all the requirements for international sports federations, national delegations and the media, including the introduction of a mobile application two weeks before departure to Tokyo for each participant competitions. It will track a person's temperature, his location, contacts and condition. This applies to athletes, coaches and organizers. Testing for covid must be carried out 72 hours before departure to Japan, and the original certificate of this test must be submitted to passport control together with passport, visa and accreditation".
Are you planning to deliver the entire delegation at once? Or will athletes fly in as their competitions begin and end in their sports?
“The IOC and IPC are trying to minimize the stay of athletes and members of delegations on the territory of the Olympic and Paralympic villages. This is a new requirement. Everyone must enter there no more than 5-7 days before the first day of the competition. And the departure of each athlete must be no later than 48 hours after the end of his performances.
It's no secret that we are planning a charter flight. But taking into account the complexity in the organization and logistics of the flights of our athletes, we will negotiate with the IPC so that they allow someone, taking into account the competition calendar, to fly one or two days earlier or later. Because we, for example, have judo competitions among the blind every day. And, if someone finished performing a few days earlier than another member of the team, then we cannot send everyone home individually, because there will be only one accompanying person for the whole team. We want to talk to the IPC so that the whole team will come back together as soon as their competition is over."
Are there any restrictions on the movement of members of delegations in Tokyo itself?
"There is a ban on holding events outside the official facilities of the Games, as well as on the use of public transport by all members of delegations. It is necessary to measure body temperature, wear masks and maintain social distance. In case of violation of the requirements, serious sanctions are threatened, including deportation from Japan."
How many Russian athletes will take part in the Paralympic Games in Tokyo?
“Today we have 136 quotas, which correspond to 174 athletes in 13 sports. Russia won these quotas even before the pandemic. It is planned that in total we will take part in 19 competitions out of 22. And the total composition of the Russian Paralympic delegation in Tokyo can be up to 470 people, of which 270 are athletes. Much depends on the results of the qualifying competitions, which were postponed, but have now begun to be held again. Therefore, the final composition of the delegation should be approved by the RPC Executive Committee before August 2 ".
Is there an understanding with the IPC and the Organizing Committee of the Paralympic Games, will the members of the delegations be required to vaccinate against covid?
"This question is spelled out in the playbook. On this topic, more than one meeting of the IPC was held, headed by the president of the organization, Andrew Parsons. And everywhere it was emphasized that getting the vaccine is an optional requirement to participate in the Paralympic Games. time ask the leaders of the national Olympic and Paralympic committees to make every effort to ensure that the majority of members of the delegations were vaccinated.
Moreover, from communication with my colleagues from other countries, I understand that many of them do not have such a favorable vaccination situation as in Russia. It is very difficult to vaccinate there. And this is complicated by the political moment, by the talk that athletes, even taking into account the upcoming major competitions, should not be given any privileges in vaccination compared to older people, medical and educational workers. This is not the way we put the question.
Moreover, the FMBA last week already gave recommendations on the vaccination of members of delegations traveling to Tokyo for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The agency is ready to take on this issue. It prepared and sent out the appropriate recommendations to all national teams. Of course, for each of the athletes this is a voluntary matter, but the documents and explanations were brought to everyone. In general, the presence of IPC vaccination is encouraged, but not required."
How will you adapt to the CAS requirements, in particular regarding the team logo in Tokyo?
"As you know, numerous sanctions were prescribed. Nevertheless, CAS did not support some of WADA's requirements. It's not only that the final suspension is two years instead of the initial four. In addition, our athletes were obliged to undergo a number of additional tests. a list of documents that would contain doping histories of athletes. In addition, there were requirements that no one from the leadership and executive committee of the RPC was at the Paralympic Games, as well as not to hold international Paralympic competitions on the territory of the Russian Federation. All this wanted to introduce WADA, but CAS did not Finally, he did not support the ban of the tricolor on the uniform of athletes.
We are fully allowed to form with the colors of the Russian flag. Moreover, this week the IPC has fully agreed on the sketches of the Paralympic uniforms, which we will soon show to the public. As for the issues of symbols and anthem, if the IOC immediately sent the requirements for the emblem and flag, then the negotiations between the RPC and the IPC are built a little differently. This is due to the fact that if the Olympians' emblem is a torch with three fluttering tongues of flame in the colors of the tricolor (white, blue, red), then the Paralympians have the flag itself in the symbolism."
Flags are banned?
"Therefore, we are now solving the issue of a new emblem. We are consulting with Rospatent so as not to duplicate anyone. If we approve all this, we will make it public."
And what about the anthem and the name of the team?
“Again, the IOC and the ROC have already approved the name of the ROC (Russian Olympic Committee). And on the basis of the ROC's anthem, I made a request to the IOC about Katyusha, the IOC sent a similar request to CAS. And now they are waiting for a decision. the name of our team is RPС (Russian Paralympic Committee). We have to send this name to the IPC for approval one of these days.
As for the anthem, if we propose a new work, and not Katyusha, as the OCD, then we will have to undergo an expert assessment from scratch. In the same big circle as ROC. And today they have no end in sight on the Katyusha issues. If it is nevertheless approved, then we will consider "Katyusha" as an anthem at the executive committee of the RPC. And, if the executive committee approves it, then we will coordinate it with the IPC. But, as I understood from a conversation with representatives of the International Paralympic Committee, there will be no difficulties in this case - they will build on what the IOC decides. Therefore, we wrote to the IPC that while we are waiting for a solution to the situation with the Katyusha through the ROC - IOC - CAS. If we have to choose another work, then we will not have time to conduct an examination. In this case, the IPC anthem will sound at the awards ceremony for Russian athletes. "
The sanctions are valid until December 2022. Now the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) and the Russian Paralympic Committee (RPC) are coordinating with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and CAS the symbols and anthem of their teams for the Tokyo Games. It is not excluded that during the awarding ceremony of the Russians "Katyusha" will sound.
Pavel Rozhkov, the first vice-president of the RPC, spoke in an interview with Izvestia about how these issues are being coordinated, as well as about the Paralympic Games scheduled for August 25 - September 6 in an interview with Izvestia.
How are preparations for the Tokyo Games going now?
"We now have a lot of contacts with the IPC. This is due to the pandemic issues and the measures that are being taken by the IPC and the IOC so that the Games in Tokyo go as they should. There is a whole roadmap of 50 points. They are primarily aimed at maximum savings funds, improving the efficiency of events, etc. In February, the IOC and IPC released playbooks with all the requirements for international sports federations, national delegations and the media, including the introduction of a mobile application two weeks before departure to Tokyo for each participant competitions. It will track a person's temperature, his location, contacts and condition. This applies to athletes, coaches and organizers. Testing for covid must be carried out 72 hours before departure to Japan, and the original certificate of this test must be submitted to passport control together with passport, visa and accreditation".
Are you planning to deliver the entire delegation at once? Or will athletes fly in as their competitions begin and end in their sports?
“The IOC and IPC are trying to minimize the stay of athletes and members of delegations on the territory of the Olympic and Paralympic villages. This is a new requirement. Everyone must enter there no more than 5-7 days before the first day of the competition. And the departure of each athlete must be no later than 48 hours after the end of his performances.
It's no secret that we are planning a charter flight. But taking into account the complexity in the organization and logistics of the flights of our athletes, we will negotiate with the IPC so that they allow someone, taking into account the competition calendar, to fly one or two days earlier or later. Because we, for example, have judo competitions among the blind every day. And, if someone finished performing a few days earlier than another member of the team, then we cannot send everyone home individually, because there will be only one accompanying person for the whole team. We want to talk to the IPC so that the whole team will come back together as soon as their competition is over."
Are there any restrictions on the movement of members of delegations in Tokyo itself?
"There is a ban on holding events outside the official facilities of the Games, as well as on the use of public transport by all members of delegations. It is necessary to measure body temperature, wear masks and maintain social distance. In case of violation of the requirements, serious sanctions are threatened, including deportation from Japan."
How many Russian athletes will take part in the Paralympic Games in Tokyo?
“Today we have 136 quotas, which correspond to 174 athletes in 13 sports. Russia won these quotas even before the pandemic. It is planned that in total we will take part in 19 competitions out of 22. And the total composition of the Russian Paralympic delegation in Tokyo can be up to 470 people, of which 270 are athletes. Much depends on the results of the qualifying competitions, which were postponed, but have now begun to be held again. Therefore, the final composition of the delegation should be approved by the RPC Executive Committee before August 2 ".
Is there an understanding with the IPC and the Organizing Committee of the Paralympic Games, will the members of the delegations be required to vaccinate against covid?
"This question is spelled out in the playbook. On this topic, more than one meeting of the IPC was held, headed by the president of the organization, Andrew Parsons. And everywhere it was emphasized that getting the vaccine is an optional requirement to participate in the Paralympic Games. time ask the leaders of the national Olympic and Paralympic committees to make every effort to ensure that the majority of members of the delegations were vaccinated.
Moreover, from communication with my colleagues from other countries, I understand that many of them do not have such a favorable vaccination situation as in Russia. It is very difficult to vaccinate there. And this is complicated by the political moment, by the talk that athletes, even taking into account the upcoming major competitions, should not be given any privileges in vaccination compared to older people, medical and educational workers. This is not the way we put the question.
Moreover, the FMBA last week already gave recommendations on the vaccination of members of delegations traveling to Tokyo for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The agency is ready to take on this issue. It prepared and sent out the appropriate recommendations to all national teams. Of course, for each of the athletes this is a voluntary matter, but the documents and explanations were brought to everyone. In general, the presence of IPC vaccination is encouraged, but not required."
How will you adapt to the CAS requirements, in particular regarding the team logo in Tokyo?
"As you know, numerous sanctions were prescribed. Nevertheless, CAS did not support some of WADA's requirements. It's not only that the final suspension is two years instead of the initial four. In addition, our athletes were obliged to undergo a number of additional tests. a list of documents that would contain doping histories of athletes. In addition, there were requirements that no one from the leadership and executive committee of the RPC was at the Paralympic Games, as well as not to hold international Paralympic competitions on the territory of the Russian Federation. All this wanted to introduce WADA, but CAS did not Finally, he did not support the ban of the tricolor on the uniform of athletes.
We are fully allowed to form with the colors of the Russian flag. Moreover, this week the IPC has fully agreed on the sketches of the Paralympic uniforms, which we will soon show to the public. As for the issues of symbols and anthem, if the IOC immediately sent the requirements for the emblem and flag, then the negotiations between the RPC and the IPC are built a little differently. This is due to the fact that if the Olympians' emblem is a torch with three fluttering tongues of flame in the colors of the tricolor (white, blue, red), then the Paralympians have the flag itself in the symbolism."
Flags are banned?
"Therefore, we are now solving the issue of a new emblem. We are consulting with Rospatent so as not to duplicate anyone. If we approve all this, we will make it public."
And what about the anthem and the name of the team?
“Again, the IOC and the ROC have already approved the name of the ROC (Russian Olympic Committee). And on the basis of the ROC's anthem, I made a request to the IOC about Katyusha, the IOC sent a similar request to CAS. And now they are waiting for a decision. the name of our team is RPС (Russian Paralympic Committee). We have to send this name to the IPC for approval one of these days.
As for the anthem, if we propose a new work, and not Katyusha, as the OCD, then we will have to undergo an expert assessment from scratch. In the same big circle as ROC. And today they have no end in sight on the Katyusha issues. If it is nevertheless approved, then we will consider "Katyusha" as an anthem at the executive committee of the RPC. And, if the executive committee approves it, then we will coordinate it with the IPC. But, as I understood from a conversation with representatives of the International Paralympic Committee, there will be no difficulties in this case - they will build on what the IOC decides. Therefore, we wrote to the IPC that while we are waiting for a solution to the situation with the Katyusha through the ROC - IOC - CAS. If we have to choose another work, then we will not have time to conduct an examination. In this case, the IPC anthem will sound at the awards ceremony for Russian athletes. "