Russian and Belarusian athletes qualified, as independent, for Paris 2024 Olympic Games will not parade in the opening ceremony, decided this Tuesday the Executive of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
“Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN) with Russian or Belarusian passports will not participate in the parade of delegations at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris, as they are individual athletes,” it reported. James MacLeoddirector of Olympic Solidarity and liaison with the IOC national committees, at a press conference.
Also, the medals won by these athletes “will not be displayed in any table.”
The measures are part of sanctions ordered by the Olympic Movement against Russia and Belarus following the invasion of Ukraine. The Russian Olympic Committee was suspended by the IOC for taking sports organizations on Ukrainian territory under its control.
The Executive made progress at its meeting on the conditions for the participation of Russian and Belarusian neutrals qualified for the Games, which are now 12 and 7, respectively, and could be a maximum of 55 and 28 , although The most likely numbers are approximately 36 Russians and 22 Belarusians.
Among them, the ban on parading at the inauguration, although in some way they will be able to “experience” the ceremony, and the decision not to display their podiums on the medal table of the Games.
“This is the same scenario that was used for the Independent Olympic Participants (from the former Yugoslavia) at the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games,” the IOC explained.
The decision on the participation of Russians and Belarusians in the closing ceremony will be made later, Macleod indicated, indicating that it may be different because at the closing party the athletes do not parade in teams, but all together, mixed .
In addition, the Executive appointed this Tuesday a Neutral Individual Athlete Eligibility Review Panel (AINERP), which will review each Russian or Belarusian qualifier to decide whether to confirm their entry.
These athletes cannot support the war in Ukraine or belong to clubs or army teams, among other conditions.
The Panel will be composed of the Aruban Nicole Hoevertsz, vice president of the IOC, as president, the Spanish Pau Gasol, representative of the IOC Ethics Commission, and the South Korean Seung Min Ryu, representative of the IOC Athletes Commission.
This group will have all authority to invite or disinvite Individual Neutral Athletes and their support staff to participate in the Games.
Once the invitations are decided, the IOC will publish the final list of participants, which the panel will monitor “at least upon their return after the Games.”
The Executive also agreed on which flag and anthem the Russians and Belarusians will compete in Paris.
The banner will be light green (different from the green of the Olympic rings), with a white circle in the center that reads in English and French ‘neutral individual athlete’, around the acronym AIN. Rings or anything resembling them will not appear.
The song was developed for the sole purpose of accompanying these athletes and has no lyrics. It will be played at the award ceremonies in the event of a win.
“Like all other athletes, AINs must sign the Conditions of Participation applicable to Paris 2024. They contain a commitment to respect the Olympic Charter, including the ‘peaceful mission of the Olympic Movement’,” commemoration of the IOC.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Jason Root, a professional writer working with Today Times Live, the premier news website. I specialize in sports writing, covering the biggest stories in the world of athletics. With an eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, I provide engaging and informative articles that capture the key elements of any event or issue. My work has been featured on numerous respected websites and publications around the world.
