25 Russian and Belarusian athletes authorized to participate under neutral banner, including Olympic trampoline champion Litvinovich

The selected athletes had to prove their lack of support for the war in Ukraine in order to participate in the Olympics.

Fourteen Russian athletes and eleven Belarusians under a neutral banner were authorized by the IOC to participate in the Paris Olympic Games (July 26-August 11), in four disciplines, according to a first list published on Saturday June 15 by the Olympic body.

These include Russian cyclists Alexandr Vlasov, who competes in the BORA-Hansgrohe team, Tamara Dronova (Roland) and Alena Ivanchenko (UAE), as well as Belarusian Hanna Tserakh (BTC). The Belarusian Ivan Litvinovich, 2020 Olympic trampoline champion, is also one of the athletes authorized to compete, as is his compatriot weightlifter Yauheni Tsikhantsou, world champion in 2019. In wrestling, 10 Russians and seven Belarusians are part of this list, which includes road cycling, gymnastics, trampoline, weightlifting and therefore wrestling.

They not only had to overcome the obstacle of qualifications, but also a double control, by the international federations then the IOC, of ​​their absence of active support for the war in Ukraine and of link with the army of their country.

The IOC specifies in its press release that their participation “is subject to acceptance by the athlete of the individual invitation and signing of the conditions of participation applicable to all participants. These conditions include a commitment to respect the Olympic Charter, in particular ‘the peace mission of the Olympic Movement’”.

This list will be updated gradually based on the examination of the position taken by athletes on the war in Ukraine.