Baku, November 16, AZERTAC

Sports should not be used as a tool for reaching political goals because otherwise they may be deprived of their unifying strength, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Thomas Bach said on Tuesday, according to TASS.

"If sport becomes… just another tool to achieve political goals, international sport will fall apart," the IOC press office quoted Bach as saying in its statement on his address to participants of the G20 Summit in Indonesia’s Bali.

"If, however, this kind of politicization of sport becomes the norm, it will be impossible for the Olympic and Paralympic Games to be a unifying force," he continued.

"This is why I humbly ask you: give us this opportunity to contribute to peace and understanding through sport," Bach stated, addressing the G20 Summit participants. "Support the autonomy of sport as you have done in so many UN resolutions and declarations before."

"There are not many occasions when all humankind can set aside our differences and come together in peace," he added.

The IOC president also stated that it was extremely important for athletes from opposing countries to participate in international tournaments, because organized competitions involving "like-minded states" could not be a "credible symbol of peace."

"Olympic sport needs the participation of all athletes who abide by the rules, even and especially if their countries are in a state of confrontation or at war," Bach said. "A competition between athletes from only like-minded states is not a credible symbol of peace."

"In this age of division, our role is clear: to unite the world - and not to deepen rifts," the 68-year-old IOC president added.

On February 28, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) issued recommendations to international sports federations to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from taking part in international tournaments, citing Moscow’s special military operation in Ukraine as the reason.

Following the IOC recommendations in late February, the majority of global sports federations decided to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from all international sports tournaments.

In mid-October, IOC President Thomas Bach announced that the Olympic body recommended keeping athletes from Russia and Belarus suspended from international sports tournaments.