Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary of the Russian presidency, has held France responsible for ensuring the safety of Russian athletes as the host country of the Olympic Games.
Responding to a question from journalists on Friday about whether Russia has the ability to guarantee the security of Russian athletes who will go to the Olympic Games in Paris, Peskov said: “No, we do not have the capabilities in this regard.”
The Russian presidential spokesman added that, according to the rules of the International Olympic Committee, the country hosting the Olympic Games is responsible for ensuring the security and safety of all athletes, including Russian athletes. For the rugby World Cup in France last year, European allies sent 160 police officers to help with security, the official added, with some of them visible to fans as they patrolled the streets.
Securing the Paris Olympics is stretching France’s domestic forces, however, with an attack last Friday on a concert hall in Moscow, claimed by the Islamic State (IS) group, underlining the stakes.
