“Six months until Paris 2024, six things that will delight gymnastics fans” – this is how the world association FIG titles its preview of the Olympic competitions recently published on its homepage. Teams and medal candidates from France, the USA or Great Britain will be presented. Not a word about Russia, which became Olympic team champions for men and women in Tokyo 2021 under the acronym ROC for Russian Olympic Committee. It is now clear: no gymnasts from the Russian Federation will be competing in Paris.
Last July, the FIG had already decided, in accordance with the recommendations of the International Olympic Committee, to allow “individual neutral athletes” – new acronym AIN – from Russia and Belarus at its events from January 2024. “The FIG thereby ensures that the rights of all athletes are respected and sends a message to the world that gymnastics seeks peace,” said President Morinari Watanabe after the executive session, which also includes a Russian representative, Vasily Titov .
