The International Olympic Committee has made an official decision on Russia and Belarus. From now on, Russian and Belarusian athletes can compete in individual sports again under certain conditions. Soon, the IOC will also announce its official decision on the participation of Russia and Belarus in the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024.
The time has come for official decisions in the International Olympic Committee. The whole world was waiting for it. However, not necessarily the whole world was waiting for such a decision. The IOC has decided to restore the opportunity for Russians and Belarusians to compete in individual sports. This verdict is inconsistent with the appeals of Ukraine and most European countries.
Ukraine and most European countries call for Russians and Belarusians not to participate in sports events and call for the IOC to withdraw from consideration of allowing Russia and Belarus to participate in the Olympic Games. Their appeals are met with a lack of understanding by the IOC. Moreover, the decision of the IOC to restore Russia and Belarus to the possibility of participating in individual sports events heralds that perhaps the IOC will announce a similar decision regarding the participation of Russians and Belarusians in the Olympics.
The IOC has defined the conditions under which it allows Russians and Belarusians to return to competition in individual sports. Russians and Belarusians can participate in individual sports under a neutral flag, provided that they have not actively supported the war in Ukraine and are not associated with the army and military clubs. The IOC recommends that unions in each Olympic sport make an autonomous decision on newly issued recommendations.
The IOC has upheld the ban on organizing international sporting events in Russia and Belarus and the recommendation that the national teams of these countries do not participate in international competitions. The decision on the participation of Russia and Belarus in the Olympics will be made by the IOC, as it said, in due time and on its own terms.
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