Russia’s sports minister said on Tuesday that the country is ready to participate in the 2024 Paris Olympics without a flag or anthem, but that athletes “will not sign any statement” rejecting the war in Ukraine.
“That is a common thread for us. They will not sign any statement. Under these conditions, our athletes will not participate in international competitions”said Oleg Matitsin today before the Russian parliament, the State Duma.
For the Russians, the year until Paris 2024 allows them to agree, like Belarus, to participate as a country in the event, which will require the athletes, according to the latest indications from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), to register as neutral, without having publicly expressed support for the invasion of Ukraine or being part of the Russian armed forces.
A boycott such as in Los Angeles 1984 by the Soviet Union in response to Western actions in Moscow 1980 is also ruled out.
Athletes from this country have competed under a neutral flag in recent months in competitions qualifying for the Games, in tournaments such as the World Judo Championships in Qatar and the Taekwondo Championships in Azerbaijan, as well as in the individual European Fencing Championships in Bulgaria.
The Bulgarians also hosted this event after Poland’s refusal to admit Russians and Belarusians to the Kraków2023 European Games, which would initially host the individual European Championship, which was decisive in the qualifying rankings.
Also on the table is participation in the Asian Games in China, between September and October, in which Russians and Belarusians cannot medal but can try as neutral athletes to reach points or times of qualification, although Russia has not yet confirmed its presence.
The IOC has resisted pressure from several Western governments, including Ukraine, to prevent any participation from Russia or Belarus, with more and more federations opening their doors to these athletes, albeit under a neutral flag, as in the case of gymnastics, as early as this week.
At the other extreme is athletics, which Russia had already sanctioned for a state-funded doping scandal, keeping them out, as well as weightlifting, raising doubts about swimming and other water sports, such as boxing, while the IOC bans participation in team events.
Source: DN
