Sports bodies ask IOC to allow Russian, Belarusian athletes at Olympics

Representatives of international sports federations and national Olympic committees have called for Russian and Belarusian athletes to be admitted under a neutral flag for the 2024 Games in Paris “as soon as possible”.

Representatives of international sports federations and national Olympic committees have called for Russian and Belarusian athletes to be admitted under a neutral flag for the 2024 Games in Paris “as soon as possible”.

Athletes have moved closer to being allowed to compete as neutrals at next year’s Paris Games after an endorsement at the Olympic Summit in Lausanne on Tuesday.

At the summit, athlete representatives also asked for “clarity” on the issue, according to a statement published after the meeting.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) still has to make a final ruling on whether athletes from Russia and Belarus, a key ally for Moscow in its offensive on Ukraine, will be permitted to compete next summer.

The IOC said international Olympic summer sports federations, continental associations of national Olympic committees, and the IOC Athletes’ Commission backed such a decision and now want a quick final decision as Olympic qualifiers are taking place.

However, the IOC has repeated its stance that a decision will be taken “at the appropriate time”.