Will Russian athletes see the Paris 2024 Games? With less than 150 days to go until the opening (D-149), and just over a hundred days until the deadline for competitor registration, set for July 8, the answer is still shrouded in uncertainty. But the indicators strongly suggest a leaning towards no.
The first reason comes from Moscow. The latest news from the Kremlin, largely relayed by the TASS agency, all suggest the same conclusion: Russia is preparing to reject the neutrality conditions imposed by the IOC for the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes.
Igor Levitin, one of Vladimir Putin’s assistants, explained last week at a forum in Moscow that the Russian president has instructed the Ministry of Sports and the National Olympic Committee (ROC) to submit proposals as soon as possible regarding participation in the Paris 2024 Games.
The two entities will need to study, sport by sport, the conditions and qualification process, which has already begun in an increasing number of disciplines. An assessment that will then allow the Kremlin to “make a decision,” according to Igor Levitin.
So far, nothing very new. But the discourse remains just as radical in Moscow as the Olympic deadline approaches. Russia shows no willingness to compromise. On the contrary, it continues to harden its position, criticizing the IOC and its neutrality conditions.
Russian Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin reiterated last week, calling the actions of the IOC and some international federations to restrict the access of Russian athletes “categorically unacceptable.” The former FISU President repeated that the Olympic body was guilty of a “direct violation of the Olympic Charter.” He stated that the requirements for athletes to sign a neutrality declaration were “unacceptable.”
Above all, Oleg Matytsin prepared the ground for Russia to refuse to send its athletes to the Paris Games under conditions by detailing the upcoming schedule. “We are waiting for the final decisions and recommendations from the IOC,” he explained. “We will then make an appropriate decision with the Russian Olympic Committee and the sports community. But the key will be to respect the interests of our athletes, our coaches, and the Olympic Charter.”
The other reason is less directly political, more sports-related. But it also seriously calls into question the presence of Russian athletes next summer in the French capital. With less than 150 days to go until the Games begin, the road to Olympic qualification remains just as obscure, if not completely closed.
The Russian Badminton Federation (NBFR) explained earlier this week in a statement that its players are still not formally allowed to participate in international competitions, and therefore in qualifying events for the Paris 2024 Games.
“None of our players have been granted neutral status,” a spokesperson for the federation said, as quoted by TASS. “We are still excluded from all international tournaments. We are closely monitoring the current situation. Much will depend on the decisions of the annual general assembly of the Badminton World Federation. It is scheduled for April 27 in Chengdu, China.”
It is worth noting that the Badminton World Federation (BWF) was one of the few international federations not to follow the IOC Executive Board’s recommendations to reinstate Russian athletes in competitions. However, it has changed its position and aligned itself with the majority.
For Russian badminton, the writing seems to be on the wall. The Paris 2024 Games will take place without its athletes. Their statement does not say otherwise: “The national team is currently training in China. Its major events of the year will be the BRICS Games and then the World Friendship Games.”
