In a stark statement of exclusion amidst ongoing geopolitical strife, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has declared that Russian and Belarusian athletes will not be welcome at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, emphasizing strong support for Ukraine. During a visit to Kyiv, where she met with Ukrainian athletes in training, Hidalgo unequivocally announced, “I want to tell Russian and Belarusian athletes that they are not welcome in Paris.”
This firm stance resonates with the broader punitive measures against Russia and Belarus in the athletic domain, following the invasion of Ukraine. Russian athletes, under current guidelines, can still compete in the Games scheduled from July 26 to August 11, but they must do so on a neutral basis.
A notable exclusion also applies to the opening ceremony, a usually unifying spectacle of sportsmanship and cultural display, from which Russia and Belarus are barred. The opening ceremony is set to be a grand affair taking place on the River Seine, symbolically at the heart of Paris, which will now explicitly miss representation from these two nations.
Hidalgo’s outspoken rejection of athletes from these nations underscores her alignment with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s push for an Olympic ban on Russian athletes.The sentiment is shared by the Ukrainian Sports Minister, who suggested a boycott of the Games should athletes from Russia and Belarus compete.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC), on the other hand, has authorized Russian and Belarusian athletes to qualify for Paris 2024 under a neutral flag, provided they adhere to strict eligibility criteria. However, the final decision on their participation in the Opening Ceremony is pending and expected to be made in the upcoming IOC session.
In further developments, the International Paralympic Committee has already taken a stand akin to Hidalgo’s, prohibiting Russian and Belarusian Paralympic athletes from their Opening Ceremony on August 28. Mayor Hidalgo mirrored this as “a very just decision,” while stating her position was not intended to pressure the IOC but to express her view as the Mayor of Paris.
Russian response to these limitations and exclusions has been one of defiance, with Russian sports minister Oleg Matytsin advocating against boycotting the Paris Games and stressing the importance of preserving dialogue and the opportunity for athletes to compete. Despite the constrained circumstances under which Russian and Belarusian athletes are to compete, Matytsin highlighted the country’s commitment to the Olympic movement.
Relevant articles:
– Paris mayor says Russian and Belarusian athletes will not be welcome in Paris during Olympics
– Paris Mayor Says Russian, Belarusian Athletes ‘Not Welcome’ at Olympics, Kyiv Post, Sun, 31 Mar 2024 09:50:43 GMT
– Paris mayor says she would prefer Russian athletes to be banned from the 2024 Olympic Games, WYFF4 Greenville, Thu, 14 Mar 2024 17:38:00 GMT
– IOC calls Russia’s Friendship Games ‘violation’ of Olympic Charter, Al Jazeera English, Tue, 19 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT