IOC recommends return of Russian, Belarusian athletes as neutrals | Russia-Ukraine war News
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has recommended the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes to international sporting events as neutral after they were banned from competing in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year.
The IOC said on Tuesday that its recommendation to the governing bodies of Olympic sport does not affect the participation of athletes and their support staff in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games or the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games.
“The IOC will make this decision at its own discretion in due course,” President Thomas Bach said, adding, “We’re not blaming it on the street,” when asked if the committee actually wanted to buy time for the war to end .
Athletes from Russia and Belarus were banned from participating in international sporting events following the all-out invasion of Ukraine by neighboring Russia in February 2022. Belarus was also used as an important theater for the invasion of Russia.
However, an Olympic summit on December 9th opened the door for these athletes to return to events despite the ongoing war.
“Condemnation of the Russian Invasion”
Ukraine has threatened to boycott Paris, and sports leaders from more than 30 countries have spoken out against returning athletes from the two countries.
On Tuesday, Bach recommended international federations and international sports organizers that “athletes with Russian or Belarusian passports may only compete as neutral individual athletes”.
These athletes should wear uniforms that are either all white or solid color and must not have a team logo. Athletes should be prohibited from displaying their national flags on social media or from making statements “that could harm the interests of the competition, its integrity or the neutrality of the competitor,” the IOC document said.
Athletes from the two countries who have actively supported the war in Ukraine or are “under contract with the military or national security agencies” should not be admitted as neutrals, Bach said.
The Russian Defense Ministry said more than 20 of the country’s medalists at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 held military ranks. Of the 71 medals won in Japan, 45 came from athletes affiliated with the Central Sports Club of the Army.
Bach reiterated the IOC’s “condemnation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which constitutes a flagrant violation of the Olympic Truce and Charter in force at the time.”
In its recommendations, the IOC also said that “teams of athletes with Russian or Belarusian passports cannot be considered” and clarified that sanctions against “those responsible for the war, the Russian and Belarusian states and governments” must remain in place.
“Unacceptable”
Russia and Belarus are still unable to organize international sporting events on their territories and no flags, anthems or other distinctive signs of these countries may be displayed at a sporting event or meeting.
In addition, “no Russian and Belarusian government or state official can be invited or accredited to an international sporting event,” the IOC said.
The head of Russia’s Olympic Committee said the criteria recommended by the IOC were “unacceptable”.
“This is discrimination based on nationality,” Stanislav Pozdnyakov told Russian news agencies.
Poland criticized the IOC’s recommendation, calling it a “day of shame”.
“What positive things Russia has done to get its athletes to compete now!! To Bucha, Irpin, Hostomel!! After the daily bombing of civilian sites!! It’s a day of shame for the IOC!!” This was announced by Deputy Foreign Minister Piotr Wawrzyk on Twitter.
The comments came days after World Athletics voted to lift an eight-year doping ban against Russia.
The Russian Athletics Federation was banned in 2015 after massive state-sponsored doping and cover-ups were exposed. A failure to meaningfully address the issue resulted in the suspension remaining in effect for eight years.