IOC adopts new decisions on "neutral" athletes at Olympics 2024
The International Olympic Committee has held another Executive Board meeting, during which, among other things, they once again discussed the issue of admitting Russian and Belarusian athletes to the Olympic Games in Paris.
Source: International Olympic Committee
It is now known that 12 individual neutral athletes with Russian passports and seven with Belarusian passports have qualified for the Olympics. The IOC also announced the number of Russians and Belarusians who will be able to participate, "which is unlikely to be reached", and it would be 54 and 28, respectively. At the Tokyo Olympics, Russia was represented by 330 athletes, and Belarus – by 104.
The new decisions from the IOC Executive Board are as follows:
- A commission to verify the eligibility of athletes with Russian and Belarusian passports to meet the criteria of Individual Neutral Athletes (AINERP) will be established. The commission will consist of three members:
- Nicole Hoevertsz, IOC Vice-President, Chair of the Panel
- Pau Gasol, IOC Ethics Commission representative
- Seung Min Ryu, IOC Athletes’ Commission representative
Nicole Hoevertsz previously chaired the Implementation Group for Olympic Athletes from Russia during the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games. At that time, she prepared a report on whether "neutral" Russians should be allowed to participate in the closing ceremony (due to doping). The verdict was negative; however, Hoevertsz recommended lifting the suspension from the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC). Later, the commission chair admitted to "adjusting" the report to include a recommendation to reinstate the ROC at the request of the IOC Executive Board.
The work of the AINERP will be supported by Paquerette Girard Zappelli, IOC Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer, who will act as the Secretary of the AINERP.
- AINERP will personally invite each individual neutral athlete and their support staff to participate in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, as stated by James Macleod, Head of the NOC Relations and Olympic Solidarity Department at the IOC:
"The commission will convene after the conclusion of each qualifying competition to conduct an analysis of these athletes' eligibility and then issue invitations, or not, to these athletes and their support staff.
The IOC has committed to regularly updating the list of all athletes eligible to participate in the Olympic Games, and this list will be posted on the website. In reality, the commission will be working more or less daily, starting from this moment until the beginning of the Games."
- AINERP will monitor the conduct and adherence to the principles of participation of all individual neutral athletes and their personnel who will compete at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, including after their return from the Games.
- AINERP will refer any issues to the IOC Disciplinary Commission for the application of measures or sanctions if the conduct of any individual neutral athlete or their support staff is deemed to be in violation of the Olympic Charter or the terms of participation in the Olympics.
Additionally, the IOC has announced a series of restrictions for neutral athletes:
- Athletes actively supporting the war will not have the right to be nominated or participate in the competitions.
- Athletes with contracts with Russian, Belarusian military, or national security agencies will not have the right to be nominated or participate in the competitions. This also applies to support staff.
- They will not participate in the country parade at the opening ceremony.
- They will not be listed in any team rankings.
- Sanctions against those involved in the war, Russian and Belarusian states and governments, remain in effect until the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. This means:
- No flag, anthem, colours, or any other identification of Russia or Belarus will be displayed at the Olympic Games in Paris, at any official venue, or at any official event.
- No Russian or Belarusian government officials will be invited and accredited at the Paris Olympic Games.
- Like all other athletes, AINs must sign the terms of participation in the Olympics. They include a commitment to respect the Olympic Charter, including the "peaceful mission of the Olympic movement."
Additionally, the IOC has approved the anthem and flag of neutral athletes. However, the decision regarding the closing ceremony will be made later, as it involves "not countries, but all athletes together".
Background: The opening ceremony of the Olympics will take place on 26 July, with the qualification competitions starting on the same day. The closing ceremony will take place on 11 August. In total, 329 medals will be awarded in 32 sports (48 disciplines) – in addition to the 28 core Olympic sports, the additional ones chosen are: breaking, sport climbing, skateboarding, and surfing. The participation of 10,500 athletes is expected.
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