The IOC allowed Russians and Belarusians in a neutral status to the Olympic Games 2024

Executive committee International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided to admit participants from Russia and Belarus in the status of “individual neutral athletes” to Olympic Games 2024.

It is emphasized that strict selection conditions will be applied to such athletes. Thus, the IOC message separately notes that out of 4,600 athletes from all over the world who qualified for the 2024 Olympic Games, only 11 are “neutral” (8 with a Russian passport and three from the Republic of Belarus). For comparison, more than 60 Ukrainian athletes have currently qualified for the Olympics.

The conditions for the admission of athletes from the aggressor country and the accomplice country remain the same:

• only individual athletes with passports of the respective states, no teams;
• athletes (and support personnel) who “actively support the war” are not allowed;
• Athletes (and support personnel) who have entered into a contract with Russian or Belarusian troops or national security agencies are not allowed.

Also, such athletes, like all other participants from civilized countries, are required to comply with all anti-doping standards.

During the Olympic Games in Paris, sanctions against Russian/Belarusian states and governments remain in force:

• no flags, anthems or other national symbols in official places and at official events;
• no presence of members of the government of the Russian Federation/RB, as well as government officials.

The IOC, in making this controversial decision, was guided, among other things, by the call made by international federations at the recent Olympic Summit not to punish athletes for the actions of their governments. Also mentioned is the UN resolution on the Olympic Truce, which supports the autonomy of sport and the political neutrality of the IOC.

Earlier, in October, the IOC officially suspended the activities of the Russian Olympic Committee for violating the Olympic Charter. The reason was the inclusion of “Olympic councils” from the occupied territories of Ukraine into the latter. However, the governing body did not change the conditions for the admission of “neutral” athletes.

In November, the IOC called for the abandonment of the World Friendship Games, which Russia had planned for September 2024. Additionally, the IOC has not changed its guidelines regarding the participation of “individual neutral athletes” in competitions subject to “strict conditions.”

At the same time, earlier the President of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, spoke about the IOC’s desire to return athletes from Russia and Belarus to international competitions “for the sake of uniting the whole world at the Olympic Games.” The German called the position of Ukraine, which opposed the admission of all athletes from aggressor countries, “unconstructive.”

Back in March, the IOC Executive Committee recommended the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes to international competitions in a neutral status.