The IOC calls for the ban on Russian athletes to be lifted

The Executive of International Olympic Committee (IOC) On Tuesday, it recommended that international federations and organizers of sports competitions authorize athletes “with Russian and Belarusian passports” to participate in them “individually and as neutrals”. On the other hand, admitting the teams of these two countries is discouraged, added the president of the IOC, the German Thomas Bach, who read an institutional statement after a meeting of the Executive in Lausanne (Switzerland).

For Paris 2024 it will be decided “in due time”

The leader stressed that in no case has participation in the Paris Games yet been considered of Russians and Belarusians. On admission to those Games, and also to the winter Games in Milan-Cortina in 2026, the Olympic committee will make the decision “in due time, at its discretion and without being bound by the previous results of the Olympic qualifying competitions.” “.

Among the conditions to authorize the return to competitions of “athletes with Russian or Belarusian passports”, a circumlocution that the IOC has used since last December to refer to athletes from those countries, Bach mentioned that they cannot “have actively supported the war”, nor be members of the army or security agencies of their countries. The same requirements must be met by all members of the athlete support staff, such as coaches or technicians. The ban on organizing competitions on Russian or Belarusian territory remains in force.

The condition of neutrality imposed by the IOC on individual athletes implies the obligation to compete without the official symbols (flag, anthem, kit…) of the invading country of Ukraine and its ally. Bach recalled that it was “the Olympic Summit that met in December that asked the IOC to explore a path for the return as neutral individuals” of Russians and Belarusians. The Olympic Summit is a consultative forum convened periodically by the IOC itself, with a majority of participants from the organization itself.

“The Executive studied this requirement today,” added the president, who reiterated the Olympic Movement’s calls for peace, the condemnations of the invasion of Ukraine, the commitment to the athletes of this country and “the firm rejection of any political interference in participation in competitions. From its consultations over the past four months, the IOC got the impression that “the vast majority” of the sport want “an open road” for Russian and Belarusian participation. “We have to fulfill our mission and the Olympic Charter speaks of the autonomy of sport,” Bach said.

Athletes from Russia and Belarus and the national teams representing their countries do not participate in international competitions since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022with counted exceptions such as professional tennis circuits. The boxing and fencing federations – both chaired by Russians – recently approved the readmission of athletes from both countries. At the women’s world boxing championships held last week, Russia won three medals and Belarus one. About a dozen countries, including Ukraine, the United States and Great Britain, boycotted the competition.

In fencing, the measure will come into force at the end of April. More than 300 fencers have sent a letter to the IOC and the federation asking them to back down.