Actually text book "whataboutism": "Common accusations include double standards, and hypocrisy, but it can also be used to relativize criticism of one's own viewpoints or behaviors. (A: "Long-term unemployment often means poverty in Germany." B: "And what about the starving in Africa and Asia?")."

To answer your first question, it really is not. First argument is this very article, where supporters show up either way and start doing pro-war propaganda. Second argument is that sporting victories are consumed for propaganda internally in Russia, so removing the flag has absolutely no effect. As for your second question, it's a classic example of "whataboutism" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whataboutism) and I am not going to reply to it.

That's why banning athletes from Russia and Belarus actually makes sense. It's never about them personally, everybody is aware that it's not their fault and they (probably) don't support the war. However, sport was always used for propaganda and for pushing nationalism.