The flag under which "neutral athletes" will perform at the Games in Paris.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced the number of Russian and Belarusian athletes who have already qualified for the Olympic Games 2024 in Paris .
As reported on the official website of the IOC, as of now, licenses for the 2024 Olympics have been won by 19 neutral athletes – 12 with a Russian passport and 7 with a Belarusian passport.
The IOC noted that the maximum number of “neutral athletes” who can qualify for the Games in Paris are 55 Russians and 28 Belarusians. However, this forecast is considered unlikely.
Experts predict that, in the most likely scenario, 36 athletes with a Russian passport and 22 with a Belarusian one will qualify for the Olympic Games in Paris.
The IOC also noted that these assessments do not take into account the process of testing athletes for neutrality, which will ultimately determine whether each individual athlete from the Russian Federation or Belarus will be allowed to participate in the 2024 Olympic Games.
In addition, the IOC presented a flag under which “neutral athletes” will perform at the 2024 Olympics.
Power and anthema are adapted for individual neutral athletes (AINs) with Russian or Belarusian travel to the Olympic Games #Paris2024 at IOC EB.
Anthem is not a lyric and was created for this purpose only: https://t.co/adFO693XkG
flag pic.twitter.com/5WNsyBfWX6
— Christian Klaue (@ChKlaue) March 19, 2024
Awards that “neutral athletes” win at the Games in Paris will not be taken into account in the overall medal count of the 2024 Olympics.
We recall that on December 8, 2023, the IOC decided toallow Russians and Belarusians for 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.
It was previously reported that “neutral” Russian and Belarusian athletes werenot allowed to attend the opening ceremony of the Olympics -2024.