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Int’l federations ask IOC to let neutral athletes from Russia participate in Olympics

The IOC reiterated its recommendations with regard to the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes despite the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee’s membership in the organization

MOSCOW, December 5. /TASS/. International sports federations have addressed the International Olympic Committee (IOC) asking it to let qualified neutral athletes from Russia participate in the Paris Olympics, the IOC press service said in a statement.

The 12th Olympic Summit was held in Lausanne, Switzerland, on December 5.

"The representatives of the International Summer Sports Federations asked the IOC to declare eligible for participation in the Olympic Games Paris 2024 those AINs (Individual Neutral Athletes - TASS) who have qualified or will qualify on the field of play. They further asked for a decision as soon as possible to bring clarity to their entire Olympic qualification procedures and for all athletes concerned," the statement said.

The IOC reiterated its recommendations with regard to the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes despite the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee’s (ROC) membership in the organization. In late March 2023, the IOC recommended that individual athletes from Russia and Belarus be permitted to compete in international sports tournaments, but only under certain conditions. Specifically, athletes from the two countries should not have voiced "active support" for Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine and must compete under a neutral status. Additionally, they would still be barred from team events.

The IOC confirmed that "the participation of such AINs in the Olympic Games could happen only under the existing strict conditions. Neither the qualification system developed by the respective International Federations nor the number of allocated quota places to a sport will be changed for AINs with a Russian or Belarusian passport. They will have to be in compliance with all the eligibility criteria applicable to any Olympic athlete."

The Olympic Games will be held in Paris on July 26-August 11, 2024.