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International Cycling Union allows 45 Russians to compete as neutral athletes

The global governing body for sports cycling still rejected requests for neutral status from four Russian racers

MOSCOW, February 2. /TASS/. The International Cycling Union (UCI) has granted an eight-month extension for the neutral status of 71 athletes, including 45 Russians, according to a UCI document seen by TASS.

At the same time, the global governing body for sports cycling rejected requests for neutral status from four Russian racers: Anastasia Voinova, Maria Novolodskaya and Danila Burlakov, and Paralympic cyclist Alexey Obydennov. The ban on the four cyclists will be valid for as long as the UCI sanctions on Russia and Belarus continue to be in effect.

In May 2023, the UCI cleared athletes from Russia and Belarus to participate in events on the UCI International Calendar, including UCI World Cup and UCI Nations Cup events, and the UCI World Championships, as "neutral individual athletes," who have disavowed "any involvement or association with the Russian Federation or the Republic of Belarus, [as well as] their National Federation or National Olympic Committee."

Any person wishing to obtain the status of a "neutral individual athlete" will have to apply to the UCI starting from June 1, the Union said. Athletes from the aforementioned countries should not be "actively supporting" Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine, have any links with the army or other national security bodies of Russia and Belarus, or display flags, emblems, anthems or other symbols associated with these two countries.

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