Russian and Belarusian athletes, forced to compete under a neutral banner during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, will not “participate in the opening ceremony,” the International Olympic Committee announced this Tuesday during a press conference held in Lausanne. in Swiss. “The athletes, who compete under a neutral banner, participate as individuals, they do not form a delegation or a team,” said James MacLeod, director of Olympic Solidarity within the IOC, without further details.
These athletes will still be “invited to the opening ceremony”, and the IOC is committed to ensuring that they “enjoy the experience”. The body thus aligns itself with the decision taken at the beginning of March by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) for the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games, on August 28, and excludes taking into account the podiums of neutral individual athletes (AIN) in his medal table.
The executive commission of the body adopted this Tuesday a flag dedicated to the Russians and Belarusians under a neutral banner, stamped with the letters “AIN” on a green background, as well as a short anthem without words, which will be played in the event of an Olympic title. Currently, 12 Russians and 7 Belarusians are qualified for the 2024 Olympics.
