‘PROTECTION OF THE RIGHTS’

Olympic Committee Allows Russians to Compete at Paris 2024 Games

The committee listed a set of conditions that the competitors must meet, including that they do not show support for the war.

Some Russian athletes will be able to compete individually at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics under neutral status and without a national flag, the International Olympic Committee announced Friday. But the IOC listed a set of conditions that the competitors must meet, including that they do not show support for the war in Ukraine. According to USA Today, this is the fourth consecutive time Russian athletes will participate under another name. In its Friday statement, the committee said, “The protection of the rights of individual athletes to participate in competitions despite the suspension of their NOC [National Olympic Committee] is a well-established practice, respecting human rights, and has been implemented across a number of suspended NOCs during past Olympic Games.” The Associated Press reported that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has argued against allowing Russian athletes to compete, saying Russia will use its wins as propaganda. The news agency noted that Russian medal winners are frequently tied to military sports clubs.