The International Olympic Committee has decided to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to participate under a neutral flag at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. They will not be allowed to participate in teams and this will happen only if they do not support the Russian invasion in Ukraine, the Agence France-Presse reported.
Only 11 athletes are “neutral” – eight Russians and three Belarusians have qualified for Paris 2024, the IOC said in a statement.
Like all other Olympic athletes, “neutrals” must obey rules and regulations, including anti-doping rules.
They will also be obliged to sign the updated conditions of participation applicable to Paris 2024. The terms contain a commitment to follow the Olympic Charter, including the texts on the “peaceful mission of the Olympic Movement”.
Teams with Russian and Belarusian athletes will not be allowed to participate in the Olympic Games.
Athletes who have signed a contract with the Russian or Belarusian military or national security agencies will not be allowed to compete.
The IOC has also decided that a flag, anthem, colours or any other identifications of Russia or Belarus will not be displayed at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Representatives of the Russian or the Belarusian government, as well as civil servants, will not receive accreditations.
The IOC also reaffirmed the strong commitment of the entire Olympic Movement to help Ukrainian athletes perform with a large and competitive team at the upcoming Games in Paris and Milan/Cortina d’Ampezzo. To achieve this goal, the IOC tripled its Solidarity Fund for Ukraine’s NOC to $7.5 million.
At least 3 000 Ukrainian athletes and other members of Ukraine’s Olympic community have benefited from the IOC Solidarity Fund through Ukraine’s NOC over the past 12 months. These efforts take the form of financial and logistical support to ensure that Ukrainian athletes can continue to train and participate in competitions by providing travel support, using training facilities and equipment.
