Sochi, Russia, March 6 (PL)-- The International Olympic Committee (IOC) adopts a nationalist and Russophobic policy, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said during a speech in the context of the World Youth Festival.

"Now we are faced with a paradoxical situation where those who are responsible for the world Olympic movement and should preserve it, protect it, not to mention develop and strengthen it, are destroying it themselves," the diplomat was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti agency.

Zakharova added that "if we knew that this is a position, albeit partial, but principled, of the IOC towards the countries involved in conflicts, then somehow it could be understood."

"Look how many conflicts there are in the world, and how bloody, cruel and terrible they are. Conflicts that literally put people in a stupor. The Middle East is an example of this. And where is the IOC with its supposed adherence to principles?" he said.

And he added that this just proves that this is not a principled position, but a specific behavior of some people in the IOC, who for some reason decided to politicize the committee.

"So what they are doing is an exclusively nationalistic policy against the people of our country. A Russophobic and anti-Russian policy. There is no other explanation for such actions," the diplomat asserted.

The World Youth Festival is being held in the city of Sochi until March 7, with the participation of more than 300 thousand representatives from about 190 countries.