Olympic chiefs introduced Tuesday that Russian and Belarusian athletes competing on this summer season’s Paris Games below a impartial flag will be unable to participate within the opening ceremony. Individual Neutral Athletes (AINs) from both nation “will not participate in the parade of delegations and teams during the opening ceremony since they are individual athletes”, IOC director James Macleod stated after an government board assembly of the International Olympic Committee in Lausanne. “But an opportunity will be provided to them to experience the event,” added Macleod. The AINs might be on web site, he stated, however not included as passengers on the boat parade on the River Seine on July 26.

Macleod stated the state of affairs mirrored that on the 1992 Barcelona Games for “Independent Olympic Participants” from former Yugoslavia.

“The decision regarding the participation of AINs in the closing ceremony will be taken at a later stage, taking into consideration that it is not teams that enter the closing ceremony, but all athletes jointly together.”

Athletes from each Russia and Belarus had already been banned from attending the opening ceremony of the Paralympics, beginning in Paris on August 28, slightly greater than two weeks after the Olympics end.

The IOC in December suspended Russia from the 2024 Games, however gave the inexperienced gentle for Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals so long as they don’t actively assist the conflict on Ukraine.

Athletes from Russia and Belarus have confronted sanctions from a mess of sports activities since Moscow launched its assault on Ukraine in February 2022.

Over the previous yr numerous Olympic sports activities have eased restrictions, permitting athletes from each nations to return to competitors below sure situations.

However, Russians and Belarusians have remained banned from athletics.

Macleod added that there are at the moment 12 AINs with a Russian passport and 7 AINs with a Belarusian passport who’ve certified for Paris 2024, out of the 6,000 quota locations which have already been awarded for the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

It is at the moment projected that “under the most likely scenario, 36 AINs with a Russian passport and 22 AINs with a Belarusian passport will qualify for the Olympic Games”.

The most quantity, which Macleod stated was unlikely to be reached, could be 55 and 28 respectively.

Some 330 Russian athletes and 104 from Belarus took half within the Covid-delayed Tokyo Games.

The IOC stated that AINs would have their very own flag and a lyric-less anthem. Medals gained by the AINs won’t be displayed within the general medal desk.

“No flag, anthem, colours or any other identifications whatsoever of Russia or Belarus will be displayed at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 in any official venue or any official function,” the IOC stated.

“No Russian or Belarusian government or state officials will be invited to or accredited for the Olympic Games Paris 2024.”

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