IOC so far does not plan to invite Russia and Belarus to Olympics-2024

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will not send Russia and Belarus the invitation to the 2024 Olympics, set to be held in Paris, on 26 July.

Source: press service of the IOC

Quote: "The invitations to the 203 eligible NOCs will be sent on 26 July 2023. For the reasons given, this will exclude the NOCs of Russia and Belarus."

Details: The decision was made in connection with the sanctions imposed by the IOC on Russian and Belarusian sports due to the invasion of Ukraine. Also, the IOC will not send an invitation to the NOC of Guatemala, which is currently suspended from participating in the Olympic Games.

Background:

• In January 2023, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, stated that Ukraine would start an international campaign in order to not allow Russian athletes to participate in the Olympics.
• President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote to the presidents of the world's leading sports federations, urging them to make up their minds about the International Olympic Committee's decision to reinstate Russian athletes in international competitions.
• Thomas Bach, President of IOC, stated that he wanted to "entertain the possibility" of the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes to the international sport, even despite it  possibly causing Ukraine to boycott the competition.
• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation stated that any attempt to oust Moscow from the international sport due to the war, which it calls a "special military operation" in Ukraine "is destined to fail".
• In March, the IOC recommended the international sports federations to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus compete at the tournaments in a neutral status, but postponed the consideration of their participation in the Olympics.

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