Olympics 2024: IOC opens door to Russian and Belarussian athletes competing in Paris

Athletes would not beryllium capable to vie nether the Russian flag

Russian and Belarussian athletes could beryllium escaped to vie arsenic neutrals astatine the 2024 Olympics aft the International Olympic Committee said it volition "explore a pathway" for their participation.

This week Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian athletes should person "no place" astatine the Paris Games.

But the IOC's connection connected Wednesday could wide the mode for their return.

It said "no jock should beryllium prevented from competing conscionable due to the fact that of their passport".

The determination has been criticised successful a joint-statement from Athletes for Ukraine and jock relation Global Athlete.

It said the determination shows the IOC "endorses Russia's brutal warfare and penetration of Ukraine".

"The instrumentality of Russian and Belarusian athletes to planetary competition, particularly the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, volition spot the Russian authorities usage athletes erstwhile much to bolster the warfare effort and distract from the atrocities successful Ukraine connected 1 of the biggest multi-sport stages successful the world," the connection added.

The IOC said information successful competition, which would besides see qualification events, would request athletes to instrumentality portion arsenic neutrals "and successful nary mode correspond their authorities oregon immoderate different organisation successful their country".

The athletes indispensable not person "acted against the bid ngo of the IOC by actively supporting the warfare successful Ukraine".

President Thomas Bach said successful December the IOC faced a "big dilemma" successful ensuring athletes bash not endure arsenic a effect of sporting sanctions.

Some sporting federations person ignored the IOC proposal and allowed idiosyncratic athletes to vie arsenic neutrals but others person complied.

Two Belarusian tennis players, Victoria Azarenka and Aryna Sabalenka, could conscionable successful the Australian Open women's singles last this weekend. Both are competing arsenic neutrals.

The Lawn Tennis Association was fined £820,000 for banning Russian and Belarusian players from past summer's grass-court events, including Wimbledon.

The UK authorities says Belarus aided and abetted Russia's invasion.