Bach says it’s “too early” to talk about a Russian boycott of Paris 2024

The President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bachassured on Friday that it was “too early” to discuss Russia’s participation or not in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Bach made these remarks at a meeting with international media on the second day of his working visit to Havana and when he was asked about a possible boycott of Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

“I want to be very clear: the time has not yet come to talk about the Olympic Games in Paris. It is too early,” Bach said, adding that “it is too early to talk about any kind of boycott.”

The IOC president explained that consultations are currently underway with the Olympic committees of all countries and with various sports federations to “consider everything” on the situation of Russian and Belarusian athletes at the internationals competition in the coming months.

Once these consultations are over, he added, the IOC will propose a “recommendation.”

It is about, Bach indicated, “exploring ways” how to deal with the situation of “athletes with Russian and Belarusian passports”: “It is about the athletes,” he emphasized.

The IOC president also referred to Cuba’s Olympic role and said he was “very happy” and “impressed” after his visit to the main sports facilities in Havana.

The visit, which began this Thursday, served him to “learn about his preparations for Olympic Games in Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028” and meet with representatives of the Cuban government.

Cuba, he said, is an “important country” for sports because of the Olympic medals it has won. “Cubans can be proud of their great achievements,” he said.