IOC’s Bach says Olympics on history’s side in Russia issue

By ANDREW DAMPF and GRAHAM DUNBAR
AP Sports Writers

COURCHEVEL, France (AP) — International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach says the organization is not on the wrong side of history by aiming to help Russians and Belarusians qualify for the 2024 Paris Games. Bach insists sports must respect human rights of all athletes and not discriminate based just on their passport. The IOC suggested a path last month for some athletes from Russia and Belarus to return to international competition. That provoked a backlash from Ukraine and its allies. Bach says “history will show who is doing more for peace. The ones who try to keep lines open, to communicate, or the ones who want to isolate or divide.”