Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has dissuaded calls for a possible boycott of the Olympics by Russian athletes and rather encouraged dialogue with the International Olympic Committee even given this highly-charged situation.
"At present, it’s probably important to avoid such words as ‘boycott’," Peskov said when asked if the Kremlin was considering announcing this measure. "In any case, we need to continue dialogue with the IOC," Peskov stressed, noting that the situation is challenging but "this does not mean that dialogue should be suspended."
He noted that the International Olympic Committee did not mention any plans to bar fans from using Russian flags during the 2018 Olympics but the issue needs clarification.
"New aspects are emerging, including the possibility of barring fans from using [Russian] flags. As you know, the decision published by the IOC does not mention anything like that. It is something new. The main thing is for experts to clarify if it is true and what the source of this information is," TASS cited Peskov as saying.
According to the spokesperson, it is most important to keep a "sober approach, first of all, in the interests of our athletes who made the decision on taking part in these Olympic Games, and everyone understood and supported this decision".
