Paris Olympics sports bodies seek IOC clarity on Russia

LAUSANNE, Switzerland: Ongoing uncertainty about letting Russian athletes try to qualify for the Paris Olympics affects “less than half” of its 32 sports, the umbrella group of Summer Games governing bodies said on Friday. Those sports have an urgent need for more clarity from the International Olympic Committee with qualification events pending less than 17 months before the opening ceremony in Paris. Most sports bodies are still imposing a year-old ban on Russia and its military ally Belarus because of their war in Ukraine — a ban recommended by the IOC citing the security of athletes before shifting its position as Paris nears.

In January, the IOC asked sports bodies to find ways for Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals. “There are two issues for us,” Association of Summer Olympic International Federations executive director Andrew Ryan said on Friday after a meeting of its council. “The clock is ticking.

We can’t just leave it open forever before there’s a decision. “The other is, if we’re going to include Russian athletes, neutral ones, what is the definition of neutrality? I don’t think it is very easy to find that.” The seven-member ASOIF council representing the Paris sports met for the first time since the IOC said it hoped to find a way for athletes who have not actively supported the war to return to international competition as neutrals. IOC president Thomas Bach has said history will be on its side for trying to bring athletes together in peace and not discriminating based just on a person’s passport.