The International Olympic Committee allows Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in the 2024 Olympic Games in "neutral" status
Author:
Anastasiia Kondrat
The International Olympic Committee has allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in the 2024 Olympics in a "neutral" status.
The IOC website reports.
Russians and Belarusians will be able to compete only in individual events, and teams will not be allowed. They will qualify for the Olympics only through official qualifying races.
The IOC has put forward a number of restrictions for Russians and Belarusians:
- athletes with Russian or Belarusian passports will be registered as Individual Neutral Athletes ("AIN");
- teams of athletes with Russian or Belarusian passports are not allowed;
- athletes who actively support the war will not be eligible to be entered or compete;
- athletes serving in the Russian or Belarusian army under contract or in other national security services will not be eligible to be entered or participate in the competition;
- sanctions against the Russian and Belarusian governments remain in place;
- flags, anthems, colours, or any other identification of Russia or Belarus will not be displayed at the Olympic Games.
The IOC added that only 11 individual "neutral" athletes (eight with Russian passports and three with Belarusian passports) have qualified for the Olympic Games so far. At the same time, more than 60 Ukrainian athletes have been selected.
