The IOC decides as expected: Russians and Belarusians will be admitted to the Olympics as neutral athletes. The Ukrainian foreign minister reacted sharply.
Almost 22 months after the outbreak of war and despite the ongoing bloodshed in Ukraine, the IOC has taken the expected final step: Russians and Belarusians will be admitted as neutral athletes (AINs) and subject to further conditions at next summer’s Olympic Games in Paris. The framework is now in place, but the discussions are likely to continue – and not just in Ukraine, which was invaded by Russia.
According to the IOC, eleven “neutral” athletes have qualified for the competitions so far, eight from Russia and three from Belarus. Athletes who belong to the military should remain excluded, as should teams from both nations. The IOC conditions also include strict neutrality, compliance with the anti-doping code and proof of not actively supporting the war.
Reactions from Ukraine and Russia
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba sharply criticized the decision. “The International Olympic Committee has given Russia the green light to use the Olympics as a weapon,” Kuleba wrote on the short message service X. Every athlete from Russia and its ally Belarus is now being used for propaganda purposes. Kuleba also called on Ukraine’s partners to condemn the IOC’s decision.
Russia’s Sports Minister Oleg Matyzin criticized the requirements as discriminatory. Participation in the Olympic Games is of course a dream for athletes, Matyzin said on Friday, according to the state news agency Tass. “But the conditions we are offered run counter to fundamental Olympic principles.”
DOSB welcomes decision
The German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) welcomes the decision because of the now “prevailing clarity” for athletes on the way to Paris. The Associated “Maintaining strict sports sanctions” be just as important and correct.
“Now it is important to continue to implement these requirements consistently”said DOSB President Thomas Weikert on Friday.
Admission subject to conditions
On February 28, 2022, four days after Russia’s attack on Ukraine with the help of its neighbor Belarus, the IOC led by President Thomas Bach recommended that international professional associations exclude athletes from the aggressor nations from their competitions until further notice. Many, but not all, followed.
In March 2023, the recommendation was made to allow participants from both countries to compete internationally again, subject to certain conditions. Here too, the picture was inconsistent – and remains so even after Friday’s decision.
Athletics Association remains no
The international athletics federation is sticking to its strict no policy. “Maybe in Paris you will see some neutral athletes from Russia and Belarus, but that will not be the case in athletics,” said World Athletics president Sebastian Coe.
A clear line from the IOC was also necessary because qualification competitions are pending or have already started.
How does Ukraine react?
Ukraine had already reacted indignantly to the softening of the IOC course in March and has since banned its athletes from competing in the same competition as Russians. An Olympic boycott of the invaded country for the Paris Games (July 26 to August 11, 2024) was also repeatedly threatened.
And yet the latest IOC decision cannot surprise anyone. Initial discussions with representatives of world associations and national Olympic committees about how to deal with the Russia issue began in the summer of 2022, initially behind closed doors.
The direction quickly became clear, Bach preached early on that athletes should not be punished for the decisions of their governments and always spoke of one thing “Dilemma” for the IOC. The steps were small, decisions were often made in back rooms, and two special rapporteurs from the UN Human Rights Council had to serve as formally independent lawyers for a softening of the situation, which occurred in spring 2023.
“International line” of the associations
As a result, more and more associations and NOKS took the “international line”, including the DOSB in November – which only represents one of many nations that would like to host the Olympic Games. And that’s a good one Standing in Lausanne and essential in world sport.
Outside Europe, the question of whether Russians and Belarusians should be present in Paris has not been raised for a long time. In the meantime there was even talk of a “guest start” at the Asian Games, but that ultimately happened “due to technical reasons” not. At the international level, explosive clashes between athletes from Russia and Ukraine have repeatedly taken place in sports arenas since the spring.
Open questions
Questions remain to be answered: Are Russia’s athletes, who have been in disrepute in doping issues for a decade, clean? How can we prove with certainty that athletes are not connected to the Russian military apparatus or the Kremlin? And the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) may be suspended and the athletes dressed neutrally – but the question of propaganda due to their origins will also accompany them on the way to the games.