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Criticism by European governments of the push to reintegrate Russian and Belarusian athletes into world sports before the 2024 Paris Games was called "deplorable" by the International Olympic Committee leader on Thursday.
LAUSANNE, Switzerland: Criticism by some European governments of a plan to see a full return of Russian and Belarusian athletes to international sport is deplorable and cuts into the autonomy of sport, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach said on Thursday (Mar 30).
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommendation to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals is not binding for Paris' 2024 Olympics, French Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera said on Thursday. IOC recommendations were "a step which does not pre-judge what we will do" for Paris 2024, Oudea-Castera told reporters on a visit near Paris. "If the international federations decide that there will be participation by individual athletes, it will be under a strict neutrality regime, without a Russian flag or the national anthem," she added. Voices from western governments, civil society and athletes have been raised against allowing any Russian participation in the Games following Moscow's invasion last year of neighbour Ukraine.
Olympic chiefs on Tuesday recommended the return to competition of Russian and Belarusian athletes as individual neutrals, but refused to give a timeline on their potential participation at next year's Paris Olympics. IOC president Thomas Bach said the body's Executive Board had recommended to international federations and international sports event organisers that "athletes with a Russian or a Belarusian passport must compete only as Individual Neutral Athletes".
BERLIN : International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach was wrong to argue that Russian and Belarus athletes can return to international competitions because they already compete without friction in some sports, Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk said on Wednesday.
Russian and Belarusian athletes can participate in international competitions under a neutral flag, the participation of teams of such athletes is not considered, President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach has said.
The Kremlin said on Wednesday that the International Olympic Committee's guidelines that allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete in international competitions as neutrals contain "elements of discrimination."
:The Kremlin said on Wednesday that the International Olympic Committee's guidelines that allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete in international competitions as neutrals contain "elements of discrimination".