A heated discussion about the possible admission of athletes from Russia and Belarus to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in a neutral status can be considered stopped for some time. The IOC states that all purported recommendations only apply to competitions in Asia. And we have to take at least one step in the evolution of the situation with the withdrawal of the athletes.
After the IOC’s executive committee on January 25 called for the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes to international competitions in a neutral status, disputes are not easing over whether the main Olympic organization is ready to take the right step. decision.
A statement appeared on the IOC website on Thursday that the International Olympic Committee’s recommendations on the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes only apply to competitions in Asia. And they have nothing to do with the 2024 Paris Olympics. Reason: the decision on the participation of athletes “with a Russian or Belarusian passport” in the 2024 Paris Olympics has not yet been made.
Moreover, the IOC, apparently in a hurry to avoid the accusations of wanting to bring Russia back to the Games by any means, which it has repeatedly received in recent days from countries threatening to boycott the Games, returns all the world to documents. And he clarifies that “none of the documents published by the IOC” mentions the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris for athletes from Russia and Belarus.
We are only talking 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 participate in the Asian Games. The games will take place in Hangzhou, China from September 23 to October 8, 2023.
The IOC stresses that the organization cannot discuss the admission of Russian and Belarusian athletes to the 2024 Olympics, even without knowing “if the first step will be taken and what will it be”. And he states that it is only “absolutely clear” that it is not about Russian and Belarusian athletes. We are only talking about neutral athletes “respecting our rules, including the absence of any identification with their country and NOCs and full compliance with anti-doping rules”.
In addition, the message contains a clarification regarding the qualifying tournaments for the Olympic Games. Some of them have already taken place. But the IOC “will not ask 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 under discussion at the IOC, all athletes “potentially admitted” to neutral status must fully comply with the World Anti-Doping Code. In this context, international federations and national anti-doping organizations must carry out individual anti-doping controls.
Considering “the history of doping in Russia”, the IOC has established strict anti-doping conditions for each individual athlete who wishes to compete in neutral status”.
There is also an assurance in the statement that reassures Asian countries who are concerned about the possible loss of Olympic quotas in connection with the admission of our athletes. The countries will keep all the quotas provided.
