Gymnasts from the aggressor state missed the last opportunity to compete for Olympic licenses.
Russian athletes will not perform at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris in artistic gymnastics even in neutral status.
According to the neutrality criteria for athletes from Russia and Belarus, which the International Gymnastics Federation approved in November 2023, athletes from the aggressor countries had the opportunity to qualify for the Olympics in individual tournaments, although they could not be represented in team competitions.
However, European Gymnastics did not support the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes to competition, which is why they lost the opportunity to compete for Olympic licenses through the European Championships.
The last chance for Russian and Belarusian athletes to qualify for the Olympic Games was a series of World Cup stages. However, at three of the four stages of the World Cup, athletes from the Russian Federation were not presented as “neutral”, and therefore missed the opportunity to compete for Olympic licenses on some of the apparatus.
Note that at the previous Summer Olympics 2020 in Tokyo, Russian athletes competed as part of the ROC team and won eight medals in artistic gymnastics.
Previously it was reported that Russian and Belarusian tennis players were admitted to the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics in Paris in neutral status.
We recall that on December 8, 2023, the IOC decided toadmitRussians and Belarusians to the 2024 Olympics as “individual neutral athletes.” They will only be able to compete in individual competitions, while teams from aggressor countries will not be allowed. Any national symbols of the Russian Federation and Belarus are also prohibited – anthems, flags, etc.
In addition, Russian and Belarusian athletes who publicly support the war or have contracts with the armies of aggressor states will not be allowed to participate in the 2024 Olympic Games .
The Summer Olympic Games in Paris will be held from July 26 to August 11, 2024.