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A16 sports
Tuesday 3 OcTOber 2023

Joe Burrow and the Bengals Olympic leader Bach explains policy

have a lot of problems to fix on helping Russians compete to
and dwindling time to do it Ukrainians at world athlete event

By Graham Dunbar
Associated Press
GENEVA (AP) — Compar-
ing the plight of Ukrainian
athletes with those in an-
other war-ravaged coun-
try Yemen, IOC president
Thomas Bach explained
to Olympic athlete groups
Monday its policy on help-
ing Russians compete with
neutral status before the
2024 Paris Games.
The International Olympic
Committee invited a glob-
al selection of athlete rep-
resentatives to a two-day A woman reacts during the All-National minute of silence in
meeting while sports bod- commemoration of Ukrainian soldiers killed in the country's
ies work to shape their neu- war against Russia on Independence square in Kyiv, Ukraine,
Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023.
trality rules and assess indi- Associated Press
vidual Russians who want
to return to international hammed Al-Qarnas, was “We hear you. I can speak
events and qualify for Paris. called to speak and told for a lot of people in this
Ukrainian judoka Geor- how athletes in his country room. It makes us sad. It’s
gii Zantaraia told Bach his had felt forgotten. a horrible situation,” Walker
Tennessee Titans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (2) hits country did not understand War in Yemen since 2014 said.
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) during the why neutral status is be- has killed more than “On the other hand, we
first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023, in ing offered to Russian ath- 150,000 people and creat- also feel sad for other ath-
Nashville, Tenn.
(AP Photo/George Walker IV) letes and suggested any ed a humanitarian disaster. letes that are in a horrible
who disapproved of the Debate over reintegrating situation as well."
war could compete in the Russian athletes who have “One of the most amaz-
By Mitch Stacy Olympic refugee team. not supported the war — ing things about the Olym-
Associated Press “We all can understand despite Ukrainian President pics is how it brings every-
CINCINNATI (AP) — The Cincinnati Bengals are a mess, the human suffering, the Volodymyr Zelenskyy call- one in the world together.
and there’s plenty of blame to go around. human feeling of the Ukrai- ing for an outright ban — And the inspiration it gives
Quarterback Joe Burrow is clearly not himself as he nian athletes,” Bach told aired for a second straight for peace and unity,” said
nurses a calf injury. The Bengals’ defense isn't carry- Zantaraia. day in the IOC's Swiss home Walker, who took silver for
ing its weight, either, allowing Derrick Henry to run wild “We understand the diffi- city Lausanne. New Zealand in BMX cy-
in Sunday's 27-3 rout by the Tennessee Titans, a team culties they have like your “We should protect our cling at the 2012 London
Cincinnati has owned in recent seasons. fellow athletes in Yemen.” fellow athletes who have Olympics.
The Bengals (1-3) have myriad problems to address Bach suggested the IOC nothing to do with this,” Also in the room Sunday
and a tough schedule. If they don't turn it around, the took an unprecedented Bach said Monday. was Olympic refugee team
season could spiral fast. strong position on impos- On Sunday, Ukrainian run- head Tegla Loroupe, the
"There's a long season ahead still, but we don’t have ing limits on Russians in in- ner Anna Ryzhykova said two-time New York mara-
many disregards left,” center Ted Karras said. “We ternational sport when, he Russian athletes had some thon winner who urged
can’t just say, ‘Forget about that one.’ We need to claimed, 28 wars are ongo- responsibility because athletes from Russia, Be-
come out and get (wins).” ing in the world. there were “zero cases” of larus and Ukraine to unite
This Bengals team was thought to have the talent “Some athletes and of- speaking or acting against and show an example to
to make another Super Bowl run, led by Burrow, the ficials of other (Olympic their government. the world.
league's most accurate quarterback and its highest- teams) are accusing us of “They are involved, all of “My sister,” Loroupe said
paid player. double standards,” Bach the athletes are involved addressing Ryzhykova, “I’m
But after a disastrous start, Cincinnati is going to need told the athletes. “They in the war, because they praying God gives you that
some of the old Burrow magic to stay in the AFC North say – ‘And what about keep silent. They don’t do courage that, tomorrow,
race and make the playoffs. Thus far, the star quarter- our war? What did you do anything to stop this,” in- you can be another lead-
back hasn't been able to summon it. then? Where have you sisted Ryzhykova, an Olym- er.”
He's having trouble evading the rush and scrambling, been? Where are you?’” pic finalist two years ago After Loroupe cited Nel-
and his passing has been uncharacteristically inac- The reason given for un- in Tokyo in the 400 meters son Mandela’s belief in the
curate. The Bengals were held to 211 total yards on precedented action was hurdles. power of sport to unite,
Sunday. that Russia started its mili- “Every night Russia attacks International Paralympic
The Cincinnati defense suddenly can’t stop the run, tary invasion four days after us by missiles or drones. I Committee delegate Vla-
allowing 173 yards to the Titans. Defenders bounced the 2022 Beijing Olympics live there. I don’t know if I da Kravchenko remind-
off Henry, who rushed for 122 and a touchdown and closed during the United will wake up next morning,” ed that South Africa was
threw for another score out of the wildcat. Ryan Tan- Nations-backed Olympic Ryzhykova said. banned from the Olympics
nehill passed for 240 yards and a TD. Truce period. After she finished speak- while he was in jail during
“We practice hard. It’s not that we don’t practice Zantaraia was asked to ing, IOC Athletes’ Commis- the Apartheid era.
hard,” receiver Ja'Marr Chase said. “I guess we got to question Bach minutes af- sion member Sarah Walker “That is something to learn
find that spark. Somebody’s got to give us that spark.” ter his counterpart repre- came to hug Ryzhykova from the past,” Kravchenko
senting Yemen, boxer Mo- and sit with her. said.q