The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced the admission of athletes from Russia and Belarus until the 2024 Games in Paris in a neutral status, subject to a number of criteria. They are based on already existing IOC recommendations. What’s new is that Russians and Belarusians will not have to sign declarations condemning the actions of their governments. However, that's where the good ends.
The IOC, judging by recent statements by President Thomas Bach, planned to announce a decision on Russian and Belarusian athletes in March next year. But on Tuesday, representatives of international federations speaking at the Olympic summit asked the IOC to speed up “to bring clarity to the Olympic qualification procedure for all interested athletes.” The resolution did not contain a response to this call, but it followed three days later.
As expected, after numerous hints from Bach and other IOC leaders, athletes from Russia and Belarus were allowed to compete at the Olympics in Paris in a neutral status. With regard to the Russians, with the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) suspended, there could be no other options. Belarusians could theoretically be allowed to fly the flag, since no sanctions were imposed on the country’s NOC. But the IOC decided not to make any concessions.
From the key in the IOC release: all neutral athletes will have to qualify for the Games according to the current qualification rules. There are no exceptions – those who didn’t make it in time are late. Athletes from Russia and Belarus will not have to sign political declarations to participate in the Olympics. However, they need to sign an autograph under one document – like all other participants. It is called “Conditions of participation in the 2024 Olympics.” The paper contains a clause on respect for the Olympic Charter, including the “peaceful mission of the Olympic movement.” That's all.
The remaining criteria coincide with those prescribed in the IOC recommendations for the performance of Russians and Belarusians in international tournaments. Team athletes will not be able to travel to Paris. Those athletes and their accompanying persons who actively support a special military operation will not be allowed. Athletes who have contracts with the army or security services of Russia and Belarus will not be able to compete. Athletes will receive personal invitations from the IOC and international federations, and they will be checked for compliance with the criteria by both these organizations and independent structures.
Specific details of participation were published in a separate release. They will compete under the acronym AIN, derived from the French translation of the words “Individual Neutral Athlete” (Athlete Individuel Neutre). For medal ceremonies and other similar needs, a special logo with these three letters has already been prepared. The music that will be played in case of victories of neutral athletes will be determined later, the decision will be made by the IOC. At the last two Olympics, instead of the Russian anthem at the award ceremonies, a fragment from Tchaikovsky's first concert was performed, and at the PyeongChang Games, the Olympic anthem was performed. It has also not yet been decided whether neutral athletes will be allowed to participate in the opening and closing ceremonies.
The uniform must be, according to the document, completely white or monotonous. But with an important caveat – “unless otherwise specified by the rules of the international federation.” That is, artistic costumes that are used, for example, in rhythmic gymnastics, are permitted. However, it is stated that, without any exceptions, any reference to Russian or Belarusian identification is still prohibited.
Another important point: any activity related to the national flag and other symbols is not permitted before, during and after the Olympics in Paris. Including, as noted, “participation in any national events related to participation in the 2024 Olympics.” It is clear that ceremonies for seeing off athletes to the Games will be excluded. But can applicants for a trip to the capital of France compete, for example, at the Russian Championship? After all, it is inextricably linked with national symbols. An explanation will probably follow later.
Surely someone will have a question – what will happen if an athlete in a neutral status is greeted as a winner with a flag and anthem in his homeland? The answer is given in the last paragraph of the release: the necessary sanctions will be taken, which may include disqualification of the athlete and cancellation of results. Probably, some of the athletes won’t care anymore – the medal won’t be taken away anyway. But the name will disappear from the Olympic chronicle. The question also remains unanswered: will sanctions be imposed if the Olympic champion accepts, for example, a reward in Russia. The IOC can also regard this as an association with the country.
But, with the exception of a few nuances, the IOC announced the conditions for the participation of Russians and Belarusians in the 2024 Games. It remains to be seen which of the athletes will agree to them – that is, they will begin to undergo, as the ROC president previously put it, the “neutralization” procedure. The release reports that at the moment, eight Russian and three Belarusian athletes have received the right to participate in the Paris Olympics (quotas are meant). Theoretically, there could be about four dozen of them.
How many will agree to abandon the country and go to the Olympic Games in Paris with three sad letters on their chest? This is now the main question.
The author’s opinion may not coincide with the position of the editors
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