Paris 2024: Russian athletes who do not support invasion of Ukraine could be allowed to compete - IOC

Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), claims that the organsation is considering allowing Russians who do not support their country’s invasion of Ukraine to compete. In February, the IOC issued guidance to sports governing bodies to remove Russian and Belarusian athletes from the competition.

Belarus has supported Russia in its war on Ukraine, allowing Russia to stage part of the invasion from its territory and offering Russia the shortest feasible land route to Kyiv. Ad “It is not about necessarily having Russia back.

It's about having athletes with a Russian passport who do not support the war back in competition," Bach said to Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera. Olympics'There is no peace without solidarity' — Bach’s appeal to political leaders worldwide21/09/2022 AT 05:10 «Here comes our dilemma – this war has not been started by the Russian athletes.

But we saw that some governments did not want to respect anymore the autonomy of international sports… »This is why we've had to take these protective measures to be at least still a little bit in the driving seat and not lose all autonomy. And this is why, on the other hand, we also have to see, and to study, to monitor, how and when we can come back to accomplish our mission to have everybody back again, under which format whatsoever." 'There is no peace without solidarity' — Bach’s appeal to political leaders worldwide IOC 'strongly condemns' Russia for breaking Olympic Truce 'Horrific' — BOA chief supports harsher ban for Russia if Valieva was deliberately doped Bach highlighted that nothing has changed as of yet, with the current ban on Russian athletes still in place.