BRATISLAVA, February 9. /TASS/. Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico favors the participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus at the upcoming Olympic Games, Slovakia’s Pravda daily quoted him as saying in an interview with the newspaper on Friday.

"If we are talking about the Olympics, imagine that in some sports disciplines the first places are taken by absolute world leaders from Russia or Belarus," Fico said. "You ban them from the competition and someone else wins a particular competition one way or the other. What would be the value of the gold medal in this case?"

"I would personally never obstruct athletes to compete," the Slovakian prime minister added.

Discriminatory treatment of athletes for political reasons is much more evident in Eastern European countries if compared to the continent’s Western part, the premier said adding that sports must be standing separate from politics.

On December 8, 2023, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) allowed Russians and Belarusians to compete in the Olympic Games in Paris under a neutral status. The IOC reported that athletes from Russia and Belarus would not be allowed to participate in any team events.

Participation in the Olympics will also be denied to those who actively support hostilities. Individuals associated with the army or national security organizations will not be allowed to compete in the Olympics. Officials will not be accredited to the competition. The display of official symbols of Russia and Belarus will be prohibited.

Paris, known as the "City of Light," is scheduled to host the 2024 Summer Olympic Games between July 26 and August 11, 2024.

IOC sanctions against Russia, Belarus

On February 28, 2022, the International Olympic Committee issued recommendations to international sports federations to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from taking part in international tournaments, citing Moscow’s special military operation in Ukraine as the reason.

Following the IOC’s recommendations in late February 2022, the majority of global sports federations decided to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from all international sports tournaments.

In late March, 2023, the IOC recommended to permit individual athletes from Russia and Belarus to take part in international sports tournaments, but only under certain conditions. Specifically, athletes from the two countries should not be "actively supporting" Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine and must compete under a neutral status. Russia and Belarus were also banned from participating in international team events.

On July 26, 2023, the IOC extended invitations to the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris to 203 National Olympic Committees. Russia and Belarus did not receive invitations. The IOC explained later that there was no deadline regarding the issue of Russian and Belarusian athletes’ participation.