“Whoever names things,” political scientist Martin Greiffenhagen once said, “is in control of them.” So whoever speaks, always acts. For example, by not mentioning actors, he can make them disappear as if they and their actions did not exist. The most recent, chilling example was warmonger Vladimir Putin’s attempt to disguise the war of aggression against Ukraine as a “special operation.” That may even fall on fertile ground in many places in Russia, but one had to reckon with that, cruel as it is.
No less frightening was how far the same poison had recently spread down the corridors of organized sport. And there exposed a frightening complicity.
The World Volleyball Federation (FIVB) set new highs and lows. He explained that the preparations for the men’s world championships in Russia, which should take place there next autumn, are still ongoing. All of that during the day after the Russian invasion! Last Tuesday, almost a week after the start of the war, the association withdrew the tournament from the country; he now also spoke of a “military invasion”. That now fitted in with the formidable egg dance that some associations had previously performed in a kind of synchronized competition: just don’t call the war a war, take refuge in the role of the observer.
The Paralympic Committee set the preliminary punchline – of all things
The world judo association – directed by Putin’s longtime protégé Marius Vizer, supported by the oligarch Arkady Rotenberg – initially only spoke of a “conflict”. The International Boxing Federation – and its Russian President, Umar Kremlev – didn’t move at all; last Tuesday they dropped a few dry lines about the “situation” in Ukraine. The International Speed Skating Union – with its Russian Vice President Alexander Lakernik – spoke of “developments” in the “Ukraine crisis” as if it had nothing to do with Russia.
The sad, provisional punch line was then set by the International Paralympic Committee, of all things: The world association, which wants to create a more inclusive world through para-sport (source: IPC), initially only spoke of a “gross violation” of the “Olympic armistice” – and decided that athletes from war-mongering nations should be allowed to participate in peaceful competitions. At least that led to a successful revolt – within the Paralympic movement. IPC President Andrew Parsons also delivered a loud message of peace at the Paralympics opening ceremony on Friday. But even then he was unable to appeal directly to the warmongers. Let alone calling them by name.
The Russian influence is still immense
For the Ukrainians, that must be almost as painful as all the physical violence: when sport, the self-proclaimed peacemaker, speaks the language of power. The person acting and their actions are thus made to disappear with words, which also conceals what connects them to the warmongers. It was sport, which offered Putin many stages in particular in recent years, at the Olympics and the World Cup, that opened up to Russian influence and money, lots of money. The era of Russian dominance in world sport may be fading (others, from China to Qatar, have long since filled the gap). But the feeling is still immense – as well as, one can assume, the knowledge on the Russian side of what was going on in the back rooms of the officials.
It would be unfair to reduce the sport to the maneuvering of some superiors. But only a few have recently stated things as clearly as German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock did. “Anyone who remains neutral,” she said in her speech to the United Nations, “is on the side of the oppressor.”
