The president of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach has doubled down on the organisation’s stance on Russia.
In January, the IOC suggested Russian and Belarusian athletes could compete under neutral flags a the Paris Olympic Games, saying "no athlete should be prevented from competing just because of their passport". The potential move has been hit with a wave of controversy but Bach has been standing firm.
He said allowing governments to decide who participates would "be the end of international sport competitions and Olympic Games as we know it". On the other hand, during an appearance at the World Ski Championships on Sunday, the German also shared sympathy with the Ukrainians whose country is in turmoil after Russia's invasion a year ago.
