A total of nine athletes submitted applications to change citizenship
Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) approved change of citizenship nine athletes to participate in the summer Olympic Games 2024 in Paris.
Three representatives of the Russian Federation also officially changed their citizenship: Valeria Lyubimova and Mikhail Yakovlev (cycling), Georgy Tibilov (wrestling).
List of athletes who have applied to change their citizenship:
- Jamie Copus (rowing), UK ⇒ USA
- Luciana Diniz (equestrian), Portugal ⇒ Brazil
- Valeria Lyubimova (cycling), Russia ⇒ France
- Oscar Nilsson-Julien (cycling), Great Britain ⇒ France
- Connor O’Leary (surfing), Australia ⇒ Japan
- Kayla Sanchez (swimming), Canada ⇒ Philippines
- Georgy Tibilov (wrestling), Russia ⇒ Serbia
- Aselia Toprak (judo), Great Britain ⇒ Azerbaijan
- Mikhail Yakovlev (cycling), Russia ⇒ Israel
The IOC Executive Board granted athletes an exemption from the three-year waiting period following the prior consent of the relevant International Federations and National Olympic Committees.
In October, the IOC officially suspended the activities of the Russian Olympic Committee for violating the Olympic Charter. The IOC responded to the appeal of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine regarding illegal actions on the part of their Russian “colleagues”.
Let us recall that on October 5 it became known that the Russian Olympic Committee included in its composition the Olympic councils of the so-called Luhansk and Donetsk “people’s republics”, as well as the Kherson and Zaporozhye “Olympic councils”. Let us note that back in 2016, the Russians included the Sevastopol and Crimean “Olympic Councils” into their structure.
Previously, the IOC Executive Committee recommended returning Russian and Belarusian athletes to international competitions in a neutral status. At the same time, teams from Russia and Belarus are not allowed to participate in tournaments, as well as athletes who support the war or have a contract with the armies of the Russian Federation or Belarus.
In the early hours of February 24, 2022, Russia launched rocket and air strikes on most Ukrainian cities and then launched a full-scale military invasion. The war against Russia has continued for the 645th day.
Source: Sportarena
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