Just over 500 days (March 14) from the Paris 2024 Olympics (July 26-August 11), the presence of Russian and Belarusian athletes is exacerbating tensions.
Since the end of February 2022, the International Olympic Committee has recommended that international federations and organizers of sporting events “
not to invite or allow the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes and official representatives in international competitions.
In Tokyo in 2021 (Summer Games) and in Beijing (Winter Games) in 2022, Russian athletes marched under a neutral banner following the exclusion of Russia for its generalized doping system.
Since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Russian and Belarusian athletes have been banned from most world events, although in cycling or tennis, for example, they have been allowed to take part in events under a neutral banner.
In view of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the question of the presence and participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes is divisive.
At the end of January, the IOC put forward the idea of seeing Russian athletes parade under a neutral flag on condition that they had “not
actively supported the war in Ukraine.
A position defended by the American Olympic and Paralympic Committee which angered the Ukrainian authorities brandishing, accompanied by Poland, Estonia and the Czech Republic, the threat of a boycott.
“
While Russia kills and terrorizes, the representatives of this terrorist state have no place in sports and Olympic competitions.
The mere presence of representatives of the terrorist state is a manifestation of violence and impunity and this cannot be covered up by pretended neutrality or a white flag
,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told a videoconference meeting. this Friday with sports ministers from several countries.
Russian Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin, quoted by Russian news agencies, retorted: "
The attempt to dictate the conditions for the participation of athletes in international competitions is absolutely unacceptable (...) We see presently an undisguised desire to destroy the unity of international sport.
»
Tony Estanguet, the president of the Paris 2024 Olympics organizing committee, assured on Wednesday that it was “up to
the IOC to decide at the end if the Russian delegation will be authorized to participate in the Paris Olympics.
" Olivier Véran, spokesman for the French government, adding: "
A decision must be taken by the summer
", by the IOC: "
So, no position has yet been formally agreed with the IOC, I leave international cooperation to take place.
“Emmanuel Macron, himself, said he wanted to speak personally”
in the summer.
»
This Sunday, visiting the Alpine Skiing World Championships in Courchevel and Méribel, Thomas Bach, the IOC President summed up: “
It's not up to governments to decide.
I have spoken with many Ukrainian athletes over the past few months, and many of them support us because they know how much we share their suffering and the efforts we make to help them.
A UN Human Rights Council rapporteur told us that excluding Russian or Belarusian athletes just because of their passports is a violation of their rights.
And the German leader told AFP:
We are in discussions, but we are not yet talking about Paris (and the 2024 Olympics).
We discuss the sports competitions to be played this year.
The subject of Paris will come later.
»