By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Russian and Belarusian athletes who qualify in individual sports for the Paris 2024 Olympics can take part as neutrals, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced.
The athletes had initially been banned from competing internationally following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year but have gradually been allowed back into most sports as neutrals.
Those wishing to compete in France next summer will have to do so without flags, emblems or anthems and must not support the ongoing war.
Support staff must follow the same guidelines.
No teams from Russia or Belarus can take part in the 2024 Olympics.
The IOC statement read: “The executive board (EB) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has decided that 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 Olympic Games Paris 2024 in accordance with the conditions outlined.
“Individual neutral athletes are athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport. The strict eligibility conditions based on the recommendations issued by the IOC EB on March 28 2023 for international federations and international sports event organisers will be applied.”
The IOC said that out of 4,600 athletes to have qualified for the Paris Games so far, eight were Russians and three were Belarusian.
The Paris 2024 Olympics runs between July 26 and August 11, while the Paralympics takes place from August 28 through September 8.