Information Wars and Sanctions of the International Olympic Committee as Means of Political Pressure on the Russian Sport and Public Opinion

Abstract

Combating doping has turned into a subject of harsh political pressure on Russia and the Russian public opinion in the run-up to the presidential elections in Russia in 2018. The Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee has suspended the activities of the Russian Olympic Committee and allowed the Russian athletes to perform in PyeongChang Games-2018 under the Olympic f lag in the status of «Olympic Athletes from Russia». The article considers the violated fundamental principles and norms of the international law and the human rights enshrined by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention for the Protection of Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and guaranteed by constitutions of civilized states and by the Olympic Charter Rules. The decline of Russian representation in international organizations has resulted in the violation of the fundamental principles and essential values of Olympism, the Olympic Charter and in infringement of human rights and liberties. The Olympic Charter permits the athletes to challenge penalties relating to participation in the Olympic Games exclusively in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The study of judicial practice and legal precedents in national courts gives credence to the right of any person/entity to judicial protection of honour, dignity and business reputation from distribution of unfaithful defamatory information and to the right to demand compensation of losses and non- pecuniary damage at civil courts.The article gives some examples of athletes applying to the national courts with legal claims for compensation for professional and non-pecuniary damage. The issues of defence of the National Olympic Committee, the Paralympic Committee, the interests and professional reputation of athletes of the great sporting empire should be handled originally at the governmental level, with involvement of international law counsellors. It is necessary to reform the sports system and the anti-doping laws. WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) activities and the sport management system should be transparent, comprehensible and verifiable.