At a meeting of the International Olympic Committee on Tuesday, its president Thomas Bach announced that he was opening the door to the return to competition, on an individual and neutral basis, of Russian and Belarusian athletes.
Under pressure from the various federations and athletes, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had to clarify its position on Thursday March 28, on the reintegration of Russians and Belarusians in international competitions. Through the voice of its president Thomas Bach, the IOC has paved the way for a return to current competitions, but under strict conditions, while no decision has yet been taken for Paris 2024. Here’s what to remember.
Russian and Belarusian athletes reinstated under conditions
While Russian and Belarusian athletes have been excluded from all international competition since the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian army in February 2022, the question of their return needed clarification. In its recommendations, the IOC indicated on Thursday, that “athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport can only compete as neutral individual athletes”.
The IOC therefore opens up the possibility for them to return to current international competitions, under several conditions: only on an individual basis, under a neutral banner, and they must neither support the war, nor actively participate in the coaching staff, nor be under contract. with one of the two armies, and finally “meet all anti-doping requirements applicable to them”specifies the organization.
These recommendations, issued after four months of consultations with the entire Olympic world, do not, however, have any coercive power. The IOC therefore leaves the choice International federations and competition organizers have the primary responsibility of whether or not to invite Russian and Belarusian athletes, contenting themselves with “recommendations” For “harmonize their approach”. While the fencing federation has, for example, already authorized their return, several athletes have already opposed it in order to maintain their exclusion from all competition. Conversely, for its part, World Athletics, the international athletics federation, recently acted to maintain the exclusion of Russians and Belarusians.
The IOC postpones its decision on their presence at the Olympics
If the IOC set the conditions of its recommendations for the current competitions, it specified that these did not apply to the Paris Olympics in 2024, and to those of Milan-Cortina, in 2026. For these two competitions, the organization will decide on “appropriate time”. Its president Thomas Bach did not specify when this would take place, while the Paris Games will begin on July 26, 2024 and a threat of boycott of Ukraine, Poland and the Baltic countries hangs in the event of presence. Russian.
“The IOC will make a decision in this regard in due course, at its sole discretion and without being bound by the results of previous Olympic qualifying events”adds the organization, which “will carefully monitor the full implementation of these recommendations by all parties concerned. The results of this monitoring will be a determining factor for the IOC when it takes its decision concerning the participation of athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
Sanctions against the Russian and Belarusian governments maintained
Finally, the IOC also maintained its sanctions against the Russian and Belarusian governments, taken in February 2022 and confirmed at the Olympic Summit on December 9, 2022. The Committee recalls that“no international sporting event should be organized in Russia and Belarus” and that”no flag, anthem or other national symbol should be flown at international sporting events.” Finally, “no government or state representative should be accredited or invited to international sporting events.”