Sports, culture must not be held hostage to geopolitics - Putin

SAMARA. Nov 6 (Interfax) - Sports must not be held hostage to geopolitical contradictions, access to international tournaments should be equal, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

"Our position is invariable: athletes should have equal access to international tournaments, substantiated by their athletic merits. And geopolitics has no place in sports," Putin said at an international sports forum, called Russia: Country of Sports, on Thursday.

Sports, cultural and humanitarian cooperation must not be held hostage to a particular conflict and geopolitical contradictions, he said.

In the run-up to and during events of any level Russia always welcomed delegates from international athletic associations, committees, federations, and created all conditions for the athletes representing their home country in an honest fight, Putin said.

"By and large we were guided exclusively by sport principles and not the level and quality of our relations with a particular country," he said.