The International Equestrian Federation does not qualify Russians and Belarusians for next summer’s Olympic Games in Paris.
Matti Lehtisaari,
STT Sports
Russian and Belarusian riders will not participate in the Olympic Games in Paris next summer. The International Equestrian Federation FEI announced its decision on Monday.
The international sports federation banned Russian and Belarusian riders from international competitions in March 2022, after Russia had started a large-scale war of aggression in Ukraine the previous month.
The situation changed when the International Olympic Committee IOC ruled earlier this month that it will allow Russians and Belarusians to participate in the Paris Games as neutral athletes without state symbols.
However, the International Equestrian Federation FEI announced that Russians and Belarusians have no business in the equestrian sports of the Olympic Paris. The reason is that the eligibility period for equestrian sports for the Olympic Games ends already on December 31.
– Since Russian and Belarusian athletes have not competed in FEI competitions since March 2, 2022, there will be no representatives of these countries at the Paris 2024 Olympics, the FEI justifies.