STORY: Athletes from Russia and Belarus who qualify for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris will have to go through a vetting process by the International Olympic Committee before being invited to compete.
Here's why:
After Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the IOC initially recommended that athletes from Russia and its ally Belarus be expelled from international competitions.
However, he was later granted the right to participate in the Paris Olympics with several conditions.
They compete as neutral individual athletes, or AINs, without a flag, anthem, or emblem.
James MacLeod is Olympic Solidarity Director.
“As AIN is an individual athlete, they will not participate in the national team parade during the opening ceremony. However, they will be provided with the opportunity to experience the event.”
They must also pass the IOC vetting process.
Athletes must not actively support the war in Ukraine or contract with military or security agencies.
And all anti-doping standards must be met.
Athletes will also have to sign the Paris conditions of participation, which include a pledge to respect the Olympic Charter, including the “peace mission of the Olympic Movement”.
MacLeod: “Our experts currently predict that in the most likely scenario, 36 AINs with Russian passports and 22 AINs with Belarusian passports will qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics. The maximum number would be 55, but it is unlikely to reach 28 and 28 respectively. ”
The IOC has established an Individual and Neutral Athlete Qualification Committee to undertake the task of evaluating each athlete and their support personnel.
The three-member commission will consist exclusively of IOC members.
they are:
Nicole Hoevertz, IOC vice president, competed in synchronized swimming for Aruba in 1984…
Pau Gasol is a two-time NBA champion and medalist with Spain.
and Ryu Seung-min – IOC member since 2016 and Korean table tennis champion.
Paquerette Girard Zappelli, the IOC's chief ethics and compliance officer, will serve as the committee's secretary.
Moscow criticized the IOC's decision, saying the Olympic body was violating athletes' rights and destroying Olympism.
The Russian Olympic Committee was also suspended by the IOC in October for recognizing a regional Olympic council for the Russian-occupied region of Ukraine, further angering the Russian government.
Russia plans to host its own international multi-sport event, the Friendship Games, in the second half of 2024.
