The International Olympic Committee admitted Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics under a neutral flag on Friday.
Published on 09/12/2023 at 14:05 and updated on 09/12/2023 at 14:06, the decision has already been denounced by several Ukrainian athletes. Even the Ukrainian government has regretted the decision made by the IOC and expressed their displeasure. They stated that the members of the executive committee of the IOC who made this decision are responsible for encouraging Russia and Belarus to continue their armed aggression against Ukraine.
The government of Ukraine insists that the decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under a neutral flag is deplorable and will be used as a weapon in a propaganda war by the Kremlin. They added that Russian athletes, in particular, often represent organizations associated with the Russian armed forces, and some are in active service with the Russian military.
However, the IOC has strict conditions for the reinstatement of Russian and Belarusian athletes. Only “neutral individual” athletes who have passed the qualification hurdle, do not actively support the war in Ukraine, and are not under contract with either the military or national security agencies will be allowed to participate. Eleven of them currently meet these criteria, eight Russians and three Belarusians, suggesting a very thin delegation.
These participation conditions have been criticized by Russia, but at the same time, about sixty Ukrainians have already qualified for the Paris Games from July 26 to August 11, 2024.
