Belarusian athletes are allowed to participate at 2024 Olympics
- 8 December, 02:27
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has approved Belarusian and Russian athletes’ participation in the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
In a statement made on Friday, the IOC said that the athletes from these countries will only be allowed to take part in the event as neutrals.
"The Executive Board (EB) of the IOC has decided that Individual Neutral Athletes (AINs) who have qualified through the existing qualification systems of the International Federations (IFs) on the field of play will be declared eligible to compete at the Olympic Games Paris 2024," the Olympic body said in a statement.
The decision comes after the Olympic sports federations asked the International Olympic Committee to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals at next summer's Paris Games.
Athletes from Belarus and its ally Russia were initially banned from sports events due to Ukraine’s invasion in February 2022, with the IOC stating that letting individuals take part was about "respecting human rights". Ukraine had threatened to boycott the Games if the ban was not upheld. Over 30 countries pledged support for the ban on Russian and Belarusian ahtletes.
The Paris Olympics will be held from 26 July to 11 August 2024. Out of 4,600 athletes globally who have qualified for the Paris Games so far, eight are Russians and three hold Belarusian passports.
