Organizations seek clarification on Russian participation in Paris

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Uncertainty over the participation of Russian athletes in qualifying events for the Paris Olympics affects “less than half” of the 32 sports, a group of sports governing bodies of the Olympics acknowledged on Friday.

These sports have asked for greater clarity from the International Olympic Committee on the qualifying events which have not yet been contested with 17 months before the start of the tournament.

Most bodies maintain the veto against Russia and its military ally Belarus due to the invasion of Ukraine – the IOC recommended the veto citing athlete safety, before changing its mind.

In January, the IOC asked the governing bodies to find a way to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in a neutral way.

“There are two problems,” admitted the executive director of the Association of International Summer Olympic Federations Andrew Ryan on Friday after the board meeting. “The clock keeps ticking. We can’t leave it open until we wait for a decision.

“The other is, if we are going to include neutral Russian athletes, what is the definition of neutrality? I don’t think it’s easy to find.”

The association’s seven board members representing Olympic sports in Paris met for the first time since the IOC asked to find a way to allow Russian athletes who do not actively support the war to compete as neutral athletes.

IOC President Thomas Bach has assured that history will be on his side in trying to bring athletes together in peace and without discrimination because of their passports.

The reaction is carried out by. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as well as current and former Olympic medalists. who insist that they must exclude Russia. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo said a Russian delegation should not participate while the war continues.

Although some Nordic and Baltic countries have considered boycotting the Olympics, last week 35 countries – including the US, UK and Germany – issued a statement calling on them to define “a model of neutrality”. for athletes.

The next meeting of the IOC Board of Directors chaired by Bach will take place March 28-30 in Lausanne, Switzerland.