LAUSANNE: The International Olympic Committee has swerved a decision on the presence and representation of competitors from Russia and Belarus at next year’s summer Games in Paris.

An IOC exevutive board meeting agreed that sportsmen and women from the countries who have declared war on neighbouring Ukraine should be allowed to compete internationally under a neutral flag but without ruling on its application next year.

In any case the ruling does not extend to teams.

The IOC has also told international federations and event organisers that athletes and support personnel who actively support the war in Ukraine, or who are contracted to the military, should not be permitted to compete.

An IOC statement regarding next year’s Olympics in Paris and the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics in 2026 said it would “closely monitor the full implementation” of its recommendations, with compliance being an “important factor” in its future decision on the upcoming summer and winter Games.

President Thomas Bach said: “Participation of athletes with Russian and Belarusian passports in international competitions works. We see this almost every day in a number of sports, most prominently in tennis but also in cycling, in some table tennis competitions.

“We see it in ice hockey, handball, we see it in football and in other leagues in the United States but also in Europe and we also see it in other continents. In none of these competition have security incidents been happening.”

On Friday, Ukraine’s sports minister Vadym Guttsait accused the IOC of “double standards” over its suggestion that Russian and Belarusian athletes could compete at Paris 2024.

#########