The Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, stated that she was not in favor of Russian and Belarusian athletes being present at the Paris Olympics this summer (July 26 – August 11) during a visit to Ukraine in Kiev on Saturday.
In a video published on Saturday, Mayor Anne Hidalgo declared during her visit to Kiev that Russian and Belarusian “athletes” were not welcome at the Paris Olympics (July 26 – August 11).
“I want to tell Russian athletes and Belarusian (athletes) that they are not welcome in Paris and to tell Ukrainian athletes and the entire Ukrainian people that we support them very actively, very strongly,” said Paris’ Socialist Party mayor, in a video published by the Ukrainian Youtube channel United news.
Anne Hidalgo has not always held a hard line towards Russian and Belarusian athletes. In January 2023, the Paris mayor expressed support for the idea of them competing under a neutral banner. “I think it’s a moment for the athletes and we shouldn’t deprive them of their competition,” the mayor said on France 2.
She later backtracked a month later, opposing the presence of Russian athletes in Paris “as long as there is war in Ukraine.” However, the mayor of Paris then opened the door to “dissident” Russian athletes, preferring that they participate in the Olympics under the refugee banner.
During her visit to Kiev on Saturday, Anne Hidalgo notably visited the training center for Ukrainian athletes.
The Russians, who will participate in the Olympics under a neutral banner, will not join the national teams in the parade during the opening ceremony, but will still have “the opportunity to experience the event,” as announced by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on March 19.
In response, Russia accused the IOC of “sliding into racism and neo-Nazism” and of being guilty of “discrimination” and “intimidation.” The Council of Europe, the human rights watchdog on the continent encompassing 46 countries, had already called for the exclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes from the Paris Games last year.
