When I set my hand to a letter confirming Polish Gymnastics Association’s withdrawal from the International Gymnastics Federation Congress (FIG) in Turkey due to the presence of Russian and Belarusian officials I felt exactly that way. 

With Russia supported by Belarus escalating killing, raping and torturing of Ukrainians that was the only option and the Polish federation proudly made the right choice.

Sending the letter of withdrawal on October 3, Poland joined Norway, Ukraine and Estonia who had decided not to show up at the annual FIG gathering earlier. 

Since then Lithuania, Italy and The Netherlands chose to cancel their attendance. 

The boycott of the Congress by a growing number of countries not bordering Russia, Belarus or Ukraine allows to hope that others will follow, too.

I fully support International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach’s statement that "sanctions can and should only be imposed on those who are responsible for something."

We differ in drawing conclusions from that statement. Russian and Belarusian federations should be excluded from international sport bodies and officials representing these countries not allowed to perform their duties and participate in any official meetings. 

Because these people are responsible for either more or less explicit support to their tyrant authorities or - to say the least - doing nothing. And because these sanctions are really painful to Putin’s and Lukashenko’s regimes who for years, like their predecessors, have used sport to do politics on a scale rarely seen elsewhere.

Let me remind you that it’s National Federations who nominate their candidates to sit on Boards and committees in sports federations. 

No one can run for a seat on an Executive or Technical Committee if he or she is not backed by their federations. So, no doubt about it - all officials in FIG, European Gymnastics or any other international sports organisations owe their positions to their National Federations in the first place.

Being over 50, I don’t get surprised that easily. Having said that - I was stunned to have learned that Mr. Stanislav Pozdnyakov, President of the Russian Olympic Committee, still heads the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) Culture and Education Commission. 

I was stunned and shocked to have learned that Mr. Pozdnaykov presented videos before the ANOC General Assembly depicted by National Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation of Denmark President Hans Natorp as "inappropriate propaganda."

I wonder if any of these videos show any of tens of thousands of children abducted and taken out of Ukraine into Russia? Maybe some of them will be turned into gymnasts for the glory of Russia? 

I still remember very well a shameful and pathetic video showing head of Russian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation Irina Viner among young gymnasts who "fled Ukraine to find shelter, peace and excellent training conditions in Novogorsk."

I also wonder if Mr. Pozdnyakov paid tribute to 133 athletes and coaches (as reported by CNN in late August) killed in Ukraine since February 24?

As Ukraine’s Minister of Youth and Sports Vadym Gutzait said: "The flag will no longer be raised and the anthem will no longer be played in honour of the sports victories of the deceased athletes."

Did Mr. Pozdnyakov mention any of these athletes and coaches? Maybe, at least, he said a word or two about an eleven-year-old gymnast from Mariupol Kateryna Diachenko who was killed on March 10, 2022, along with her father, mother and brother when a shell hit their house?

Seriously: are we really having a debate on Belarus’ and Russia’s return to international sport? Are we going to address brazen demands to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes compete in global arenas under neutral flags? Are we going to have small talks and drink champagne for the future with officials from Russia and Belarus while civilians are being killed and tortured in Ukraine every day?

In one of his masterpieces, "Praying for Time", George Michael depicts a gruesome picture of the mankind: "hand in hand with ignorance and legitimate excuses."

Sadly, but this looks like a true picture of where we are now in international sport. Still, I am -

                Hanging on to hope
                When there is hope to speak of
                And the wounded skies above
                Say it’s much, too much, too late
                Well, maybe we should all be praying for time