IOC chief Thomas Bach says key to Russian decision for Paris Olympics is athletes’ respectful conduct

GENEVA: The key factor in weighing the IOC’s ultimate decision on letting Russians participate at the 2024 Paris Games is how well athletes behave in international competitions, the Olympic body’s president Thomas Bach said Tuesday.

“It’s too soon to draw final conclusions,” Bach said, adding “we have the responsibility not to punish athletes for the acts of their government.”

The International Olympic Committee has pushed sports governing bodies this year to approve some athletes from Russia and its military ally Belarus competing as neutrals for international competitions including Paris qualifying events.

Bach has previously said the IOC can take its own final decision “at the appropriate time, at its full discretion” which could include barring Russians and Belarusians as their countries’ war on Ukraine continues.

On Tuesday, Bach clarified the IOC’s interest is mainly in ensuring athletes behave well in competitions, not how the war progresses.

“Right now it is more to monitor the situation on the field of play, whether the rules are respected, the conditions are respected, by everybody,” Bach told reporters in an online briefing ahead of next week’s one-year countdown to the Paris opening ceremony.

Soccer and track and field have taken the toughest positions against Russia, excluding teams and athletes within days of the invasion of Ukraine starting in February 2022. Russia was removed from trying to qualify for the men’s and women’s World Cup in soccer.

The IOC shared that view when war started days after the closing ceremony of the Beijing Winter Games, citing Russia’s breach of the traditional Olympic Truce pledge agreed at the United Nations and security concerns for athletes.

Tennis and cycling