Russian and Belarusian athletes were already deprived of flags and national anthems at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, and now they are deprived of the opening ceremony, in a decision by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced on Tuesday March 19. From Lausanne, the body is tightening the screws against the countries which invaded or supported the invasion of Ukraine.
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With our correspondent in Geneva, Jeremy Lanche
Russian and Belarusian athletes will not be able to take part in the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games, they will still be able to follow the ceremony, says the IOC, which does not specify how. For the closing ceremony, nothing has been decided yet since it is not the teams that parade, but the athletes individually.
The International Olympic Committee has done the math: 12 Russian athletes and 7 Belarusians are in favor the moment qualified for Paris 2024, but there could be around sixty of them obtaining their ticket, at the end of the qualification process. This is very little compared to the 434 Russian and Belarusian athletes at the Tokyo games in 2021.
THE conditions of their participation are known: no support for the war, no teams, only individuals, a neutral banner. An examination committee will validate each Russian and Belarusian qualification, it is up to its members to then ensure compliance with the rules for each of its athletes during all the games. In the event of a violation of the regulations – if they display a Russian flag for example – the committee may refer the matter to the IOC Disciplinary Commission.
THE CIO had already attacked Russia on Tuesday morningaccused of “ politicize sport ” with its ” Friendship games », which Moscow wishes to organize in September, just after Paris.