Madrid, Mar 19 (EFE).- The Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided on Tuesday not to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes, who qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games as independents, to take part in the opening ceremony’s parade.
The IOC director of Olympic Solidarity and NOC Relations, James MacLeod, said at a press conference that Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN) with Russian or Belarusian passports would not participate in the parade of delegations during the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games as they were competing as individual athletes.
Likewise, the medals won by these athletes will not be shown on any table, he said.
The measures are part of the sanctions imposed by the IOC against Russia and Belarus following the invasion of Ukraine.
The Russian Olympic Committee is suspended by the IOC for having taken over sports organizations on Ukrainian territory under its control.
The IOC Executive Board revealed that there are currently 12 AINs with a Russian passport and seven AINs with a Belarusian passport who have qualified for Paris 2024, out of the 6,000 quota places.
The experts projected that, under the most likely scenario, 36 Russian and 22 Belarusian athletes could get a chance to compete in Paris. The maximum number, which is unlikely to be reached, would be 54 and 28, respectively.
Despite the ban on participating in the parade, they will be able to “experience” the ceremony in some way.
“This is the same scenario that was used for the Independent Olympic Participants at the Olympic Games Barcelona 1992 (from former Yugoslavia),” the IOC said.
The decision regarding the participation of Russians and Belarusians in the closing ceremony will be taken at a later stage since it is not teams but all athletes jointly together that take part in it, Macleod said.
In addition, the Executive on Tuesday appointed a Neutral Individual Athlete Eligibility Review Panel (AINERP), which will evaluate each Russian or Belarusian qualifier to decide whether to confirm their admission.
Athletes who actively support the war in Ukraine will not be eligible to enter or compete, said the IOC.
The Panel will be composed of IOC Vice-President Aruban Nicole Hoevertsz as president, Spanish Pau Gasol, representative of the IOC Ethics Commission, and South Korean Seung Min Ryu, representative of the IOC Athletes Commission.
This group will have all the authority to invite or not invite an Individual Neutral Athlete and their support staff to participate in the Games.EFE
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