Putin questioned the IOC’s rules for neutral Russians in Paris’2024

Russian President Vladimir Putin questioned the rules of International Olympic Committee which forces Russian athletes to compete in Olympic Games in Paris as neutrals. Putin also indicated this Thursday that Russia no final decision has been made on whether its athletes will participate next year.

The IOC ruled out a blanket ban last week when it confirmed the Russians could compete under the name ‘Individual Neutral Athletes’. The IOC wants no national symbols, such as the flag or anthem, or team sports, and to exclude athletes hired by the Russian military or security services, or who have publicly supported Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine.

Similar measures apply to Belarusa Russian ally, which Moscow used as a base for troops and material before sending its army into Ukraine.

“I always say that athletes train for many years and they should be given the opportunity to compete in the biggest competitions, including the Olympic Games,” Putin said. “Everyone knows, whether it’s our flag or not, everyone knows that this is our athlete. It’s clear. And that’s why in principle I supported our athletes to go to the competitions, but now we need to carefully study what kind of conditions establish the IOC”. He expressed concern about the possibility of “politically motivated artificial conditions” being used to exclude Russia’s top competitors. “If its purpose is to cut off our leaders and show that Russian sport is not developing or, on the contrary, is withering, then it is necessary for the Ministry of Sports and the National Olympic Committee of Russia to study and make a decision. . a balanced decision,” Putin said.

Russian athletes have previously competed without national symbols at the Winter Olympics in 2018 and 2022, and at the last Summer Olympics in Tokyo in 2021. In those cases, the measures were part of the fallout from years of dispute. on doping. .