Allegations have been made against Olympic officials for supposedly endorsing the conflict in Ukraine after confirming that Russian athletes can participate in Paris 2024 as ‘neutrals’.
The International Olympic Committee released a statement asserting that ‘no athlete should be prevented from competing just because of their passport,’ and that ‘Governments must not decide which athletes can participate’.
This statement followed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s call to his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, urging for a ban on all Russian athletes at the upcoming Paris Olympics.
Following a board meeting on Wednesday, January 25, the IOC announced a proposal for athletes from Russia and Belarus to participate in Olympic qualification events in Asia instead of Europe, provided they do not compete under their respective country’s flag and have not actively supported the war.
The IOC’s decision represents a significant shift from their position last year, when they urged all Olympic sports to exclude Russians and Belarusians, and it risks triggering a considerable political and athlete backlash.
Pressure group Global Athlete remarked: ‘Today’s decision sends a message to the world that the IOC endorses Russia’s brutal war and invasion of Ukraine. By allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete, the IOC is strengthening Russia’s propaganda machine, empowering the Putin regime, and undermining peace.’
‘The IOC is allowing the Games to be used for sportwashing – to normalize, legitimize, and distract from the war. As a servant of Russia, the IOC continues to be on the wrong side of history with this decision that favors politics over principle and war over peace.’