Ukraine threaten Olympic boycott if Russia ban lifted

Ukraine sports minister Vadym Guttsait has warned the country would consider a boycott of the 2024 Paris Olympics if Russia and Belarus athletes were allowed to take part. The International Olympic Committee said on Wednesday it was continuing to work on a pathway which would enable Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals.

The IOC had advised international sports federations last February - in the days following the start of the invasion of Ukraine - to exclude athletes from their competitions, something IOC president Thomas Bach has since described as a measure to protect those athletes. The IOC has now called on all athletes to be treated equally, regardless of the passport they hold, and said: "Governments must not decide which athletes can participate in which competition and which athletes cannot." Guttsait, who is also president of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine, stressed all efforts must be made to make sure Russia and Belarus are not represented in any way at the showpiece multi-sport event next summer.

"For the whole Ukrainian sports community, this is a question of principle," Guttsait wrote on his Facebook page. "In this, we are supported by both the President of our state and all society.

"Part of the International Federations are outraged by the IOC's efforts to promote the return of Russians and Belarusians. "We have addressed and will address all international organizations that can influence the situation and whose opinions the IOC members can listen to." Guttsait added: "Our position is unchanged: as long as there is a war in Ukraine, Russian and Belarusian athletes should not be in international competitions.