Protesters have made their feelings known about the International Olympics Committee's plans to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Around 200 members of the public lined up in big numbers ahead of an assembly in Essen, Germany, on Wednesday, where IOC president Thomas Bach was among those to speak. The IOC's stance remains focused on allowing athletes from all nations to compete despite Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine.
Certain sporting bodies have taken steps over the past 13 months to exclude athletes from Russia and Belarus, while others have allowed those members to compete under neutral flags. Despite the latest show of support for Ukraine in western Germany, Bach's comments did little to deter the notion those athletes will be present in Paris next year.
