IOC ‘discredited itself forever’ with Russia treatment: Deputy PM

Moscow, June 17 (IANS) The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Paralympic counterpart, the IPC, have stained their reputations permanently with their treatment of Russia and it is difficult to see how the organisations can redeem themselves, according to a withering assessment from Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko, RT reported.Speaking at a discussion panel at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on Friday, Chernyshenko said Russia would remain open to friendly countries but would pursue new avenues for its sports competitions in the face of extensive bans imposed because of the military operation in Ukraine.”Regarding the pivot to the East, to countries friendly to us… We need to strengthen sovereignty, be open. We need new formats of cooperation, we need to be open to friendly countries,” Chernyshenko was quoted as saying by Tass, RT reported.”The mechanisms of the IOC and the IPC have discredited themselves forever, I don’t know how they can clean themselves up and make the competition system fair again.”We are very glad that our colleagues from China are here. There is the East, Africa, the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation), BRICS, good friends from the CIS, we have many competitions planned.”As Russia’s Deputy PM for Tourism, Sport, Culture and Communications, Chernyshenko is a key figure for sport in his homeland and helped organize the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics.–IANSsan/