The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced that some Russian and Belarusian athletes who have qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympics will be able to compete as neutrals, provided they meet certain eligibility requirements. This decision comes after the two countries were banned from most international competitions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with the support of Belarus. However, not everyone is happy with the IOC’s move, as it raises questions about the integrity and fairness of the Olympic Games.
The conditions for competing as neutrals
According to the IOC, 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 Paris Olympics. However, there are some strict conditions that they have to follow, such as:
- AINs are athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport.
- No flag, anthem, colors or any other identifications of Russia or Belarus will be displayed at the Olympics in any official venue or function.
- Athletes who actively support the war, or who are contracted to their country’s military services, will not be eligible to compete.
- AINs will have to undergo rigorous testing and monitoring by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the International Testing Agency (ITA) to ensure compliance with the anti-doping rules.
- AINs will have to respect the Olympic Charter and the values of Olympism, and refrain from any political or propaganda activities that could undermine the Olympic spirit.
The IOC said that these conditions are based on the recommendations issued by the IOC executive board on 28 March 2023 for international federations and international sports event organizers. The IOC also said that the protection of the rights of individual athletes to participate in competitions despite the suspension of their National Olympic Committees (NOCs) is a well-established practice, respecting human rights, and has been implemented across a number of suspended NOCs during past Olympic Games.
The reaction from the sports world
The IOC’s decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes as neutrals has been met with mixed reactions from the sports world. Some have welcomed the move, saying that it gives a chance to the clean and innocent athletes who have nothing to do with the political situation in their countries. Others have criticized the decision, saying that it undermines the credibility and legitimacy of the Olympics, and that it rewards the aggressors who have violated the international law and human rights.
One of the most vocal opponents of the IOC’s decision is Ukraine, which had threatened to boycott the Paris Olympics if the ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes was not upheld. Ukraine’s sports minister Vadym Guttsait said that the IOC’s decision was “a betrayal of the Olympic movement and the Olympic values”. He also said that Ukraine would consider legal actions against the IOC and the IFs that would allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete.
On the other hand, some of the supporters of the IOC’s decision include the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), which had voted against a full suspension of the Russian and Belarusian National Paralympic Committees (NPCs), meaning that Russian and Belarusian para-athletes will also be permitted to compete under a neutral flag at the Paralympic Games. The IPC said that its decision was based on the principle of proportionality, and that it recognized the efforts of the Russian and Belarusian NPCs to comply with the IPC’s code of ethics and governance.
Another supporter of the IOC’s decision is World Athletics, which said that it would respect the IOC’s decision and allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals in athletics events at the Paris Olympics, provided they meet the eligibility criteria set by World Athletics. World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said that he understood the IOC’s position, and that he believed that the IOC had acted in the best interest of the Olympic movement.
The impact on the Paris Olympics
The IOC’s decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes as neutrals will have a significant impact on the Paris Olympics, which are scheduled to take place from 26 July to 11 August 2024. The decision will affect the number, the performance, and the perception of the athletes who will compete at the Games.
The number of Russian and Belarusian athletes who will compete as neutrals is expected to be much lower than the number of athletes who would have competed under their national flags. The IOC said that of the 4,600 athletes who have already qualified for the Paris Olympics, only eight held a Russian passport, plus three with a Belarusian passport. This is a sharp contrast to the 335 athletes who competed under the banner of the Russian Olympic Committee at the Tokyo Olympics held in 2021, before the invasion of Ukraine. The number of Russian and Belarusian athletes who will qualify for the Paris Olympics will depend on the qualification systems of the IFs, which may vary from sport to sport.
The performance of the Russian and Belarusian athletes who will compete as neutrals may also be affected by the IOC’s decision. On one hand, the athletes may feel motivated and inspired to prove themselves on the world stage, despite the challenges and difficulties they face. On the other hand, the athletes may feel isolated and demoralized, as they will not have the support and recognition of their countrymen and countrywomen, and as they will have to face the scrutiny and suspicion of the international community. The performance of the Russian and Belarusian athletes may also have an impact on the medal table and the ranking of the countries at the Paris Olympics.
The perception of the Russian and Belarusian athletes who will compete as neutrals will also be influenced by the IOC’s decision. The IOC hopes that its decision will promote the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect, and that it will foster a spirit of solidarity and peace among the athletes and the spectators. However, the IOC also acknowledges that its decision may generate controversy and criticism, and that it may not satisfy everyone. The IOC said that it will continue to monitor the situation and to consult with the relevant stakeholders, and that it reserves the right to review and adjust its decision if necessary.
The IOC’s decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes as neutrals is a complex and delicate one, which tries to balance the rights and interests of the individual athletes, the NOCs, the IFs, the host country, and the Olympic movement. The decision will have a lasting impact on the Paris Olympics, and on the future of the Olympics as a whole.
