The president of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, said Thursday at a conference to discuss sport as a diplomatic tool that political boycotts of sporting events are both disrespectful and run counter to the games' mission.
Speaking with 50 days to go before the Tokyo Games, Bach repeated his mantra that the Olympics must remain apolitical and a vehicle for bringing people together. The Tokyo Olympics are set to begin on July 23, followed by the Paralympics on Aug. 24.
"The most blatant expressions of such disrespect are calls for boycotts of sporting events, or boycotting host countries of sporting events," Bach said.
"Such kinds of sport boycotts are against the mission of the Olympic Games to build bridges. They destroy the principle of political neutrality and have been proven to achieve nothing at all," he argued.
In the event hosted by the Portuguese presidency of the Council of the European Union, Bach said history shows that sport has the overriding power to unite when politics fail.
"The Olympic Games cannot address all the political and social challenges in our world which generations of politicians were not able to solve. But they can set an example for a world where everyone respects the same rules and one another."
Related coverage:
OPINION: Tokyo Olympics have no meaning if dialogue is abandoned
Japan PM Suga's Tokyo Olympic reception scrapped
Eco-friendly Tokyo Olympic medal podium unveiled, with 50 days to go
Bach's comments about the role of the games as a unifying force come at a time when opposition to hosting the Olympics during the coronavirus pandemic remains strong in Japan, but the IOC, government figures and local organizers are determined to push ahead.
Only North Korea has so far said it will not send athletes to Tokyo due to concerns over the coronavirus.
Delivering his address live from Olympic House in Lausanne, Switzerland, to around 500 participants, Bach said the Tokyo Games will stand as a symbol of resilience and hope against despair.
"When the athletes of all the 206 National Olympic Committees and the IOC Refugee Olympic Team finally come together for the postponed Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 in 50 days from now, on 23 July, they will send a powerful message from Tokyo to the world: the message of peace, solidarity and resilience."
