Russian and Belarusian athletes will be allowed to compete at the Paris 2024 Olympics as long as they have not supported the war in Ukraine, the International Olympic Committee has decided.
However athletes who do qualify in individual sports will have to compete as “neutral” athletes – with no flags, emblems or anthems allowed. Russian and Belarusian teams will remain banned.
The hugely controversial decision comes in defiance of Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, as well as more than 30 western countries – including Britain and the US – who had called for a complete ban.
Unsurprisingly it was quickly criticised by Ukrainian athletes, including the Winter Olympic skeleton star Vladyslav Heraskevych, who questioned whether there would be any Russian or Belarusians in Paris who did not support the invasion of his country.
“To me this is madness, not something that is subject to common sense,” he said. The news also was greeted with anger in Russia, with the former sports minister Pavel Kolobkov saying: “This feels like some kind of handout.”
“In such a situation, the Olympics have ceased to be such an interesting competition for Russian athletes,” he added.
“It was one thing when we performed on equal terms and competed on equal terms with other athletes. And it’s another thing when we are asked to participate under such humiliating conditions.”
In a statement explaining its decision, the IOC said that only eight athletes from Russia and three Belarusians had so far qualified for Paris, out of over 4,600 from around the world.
The IOC confirmed that athletes and coaches who actively support the war will not be able to compete in Paris. “Athletes who are contracted to the Russian or Belarusian military or national security agencies will not be eligible to be entered or to compete,” it added.
Russian and Belarusian athletes will have to sign a statement promising to respect the Olympic Charter, including “the peace mission of the Olympic movement” and fulfil anti-doping requirements for their sport.
“Among the 4,600 athletes from around the world who have qualified for Paris 2024 so far, there are only 11 individual neutral athletes (eight with a Russian passport plus three with a Belarusian passport),” the IOC said. “In comparison, to date more than 60 Ukrainian athletes have qualified for Paris 2024.”
No Russian or Belarusian government or state officials will be invited to or accredited for the Games.
The IOC insisted that its decision was backed by sports and athletes. “The view of the overwhelming majority of athletes is not to punish fellow athletes for the actions of their government,” it said.
