IOC disowns the participation of Russian athletes at the 2024 Olympics

Statement published on the official website of the International Olympic Committee

A heated discussion of the possible admission of athletes from Russia and Belarus to the Olympic Games in Paris 2024 in a neutral status can be considered stopped for some time. The IOC states that all purported recommendations apply only to competitions in Asia. And we need to take at least one step in the development of the situation with the removal of athletes.

After the IOC executive committee on January 25 called for the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes to international competitions in a neutral status, disputes do not subside over whether the main Olympic organization is ready to make the right decision.

A statement appeared on the IOC website on Thursday that the recommendations of the International Olympic Committee on the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes apply only to competitions in Asia. And they have nothing to do with the Olympic Games in Paris 2024. Reason: the decision on the participation of athletes “with a Russian or Belarusian passport” in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris has not yet been made.

Moreover, the IOC, apparently in a hurry to avoid accusations of wanting to return Russia to the Games by any means, which it has repeatedly received in recent days from countries threatening to boycott the Games, refers everyone to the documents. And he states that “none of the documents published by the IOC” mentions the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris for athletes from Russia and Belarus.

We are talking only about international competitions in Asia in the upcoming summer season. As you know, the Olympic Council of Asia, after the announced decision of the IOC Executive Committee, invited our athletes to take part in the Asian Games. The games will be held in Hangzhou, China from September 23 to October 8, 2023.

The IOC emphasizes that the organization cannot argue about the admission of Russian and Belarusian athletes to the 2024 Olympics, even without knowing “whether the first step will be taken and what it will be.” And he declares that it is only “absolutely clear” that this is not about Russian and Belarusian athletes. We are talking only about neutral athletes “respecting our rules, including the absence of any identification with their country and NOCs and full compliance with the anti-doping rules.”

Moreover, the message contains a clarification regarding the qualification tournaments for the Olympic Games. Some of them have already taken place. But the IOC “will not ask the international federations to retroactively adapt their qualification systems” to allocate additional quotas to athletes from Russia and Belarus who “missed the opportunity.”

Every athlete in Russia, and this is stated in the concept, which is still being discussed by the IOC, all “potentially admitted” athletes in a neutral status must fully comply with the World Anti-Doping Code. In this connection, the international federations and national anti-doping organizations must conduct individual doping control.

Given the “doping history in Russia”, the IOC has established strict anti-doping conditions for each individual athlete who wishes to compete in status neutral.”

There is also an assurance in the statement that reassures the Asian countries that are worried about the possible loss of Olympic quotas in connection with the admission of our athletes. Countries will retain all planned quotas.