Olympic chiefs on Friday gave the inexperienced gentle to the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes at subsequent yr’s Paris Video games as neutrals, exterior of group occasions and so long as they didn’t actively help the battle on Ukraine. The Worldwide Olympic Committee added that there have been at present solely eight athletes from Russia and three from Belarus who had certified as impartial athletes.
Compared, greater than 60 Ukrainian athletes have certified for subsequent yr’s Paris Olympics. The IOC’s government board “decided that Individual Neutral Athletes (AINs) who have qualified through the existing qualification systems of the International Federations (IFs) on the field of play will be declared eligible to compete at the Olympic Games Paris 2024”. However solely, it added, in the event that they meet strict eligibility situations.
That features the exclusion of “teams of athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport”. Additionally lacking out shall be “athletes who actively support the war” in addition to “athletes who are contracted to the Russian or Belarusian military or national security agencies”.
Moreover, “no flag, anthem, colours or any other identifications whatsoever of Russia or Belarus will be displayed at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 in any official venue or any official function”. “No Russian or Belarusian government or state officials will be invited to or accredited for the Olympic Games Paris 2024.”
Russia denounced the situations positioned on its athletes as “discriminatory”, however mentioned athletes who meet the factors would go to Paris. “The conditions are discriminatory, they are going against the principles of sport,” mentioned Russian sports activities minister Oleg Matytsin.
“They are damaging the Olympic Games themselves, and not Russian sport. The approach is unacceptable.” Athletes from Russia and Belarus have confronted sanctions from a large number of sports activities since Moscow launched its assault on Ukraine in February 2022.
Nevertheless, over the previous yr quite a few Olympic sports activities have eased restrictions, permitting athletes from each nations to return to competitors below sure situations.
Federation stress
In March, the IOC lifted an outright ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes, permitting them to compete as impartial athletes offered they didn’t help the Ukraine battle and had no ties to the navy.
The problem was raised once more on Tuesday when representatives of worldwide sports activities federations and nationwide Olympic committees referred to as for Russian and Belarusian athletes to be admitted below a impartial flag for the July 26 to August 11 2024 Video games in Paris “as soon as possible”.
Throughout the Olympic summit in Lausanne, athlete representatives additionally requested for “clarity” on the difficulty. In an interview with AFP on Thursday, Ukraine’s performing sports activities minister mentioned his authorities was “very concerned” by that decision from these IFs and NOCs.
Matviy Bidnyi mentioned Kyiv was involved that the transfer appeared that the IOC “does not want to demonstrate the necessary leadership in the matter of Olympic fairness and justice”.
“As aptly stated by President Volodymyr Zelensky: ‘Obviously, any neutral flag of Russian athletes is stained with blood’,” Bidnyi advised AFP.
“We count on a responsible decision and leadership of the IOC, which will not allow Russia to use sport for military propaganda.
“Even when it is sport below a impartial flag.”
The Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) remains suspended, the IOC having instigated a ban in October for its violation of the territorial integrity of the membership of Ukraine by recognising illegally annexed territories.
ROC has recognised organisations from four Ukrainian territories annexed since Russia’s invasion began in 2022.
Russia’s Olympic body last month launched an appeal against its suspension by the IOC at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
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