February 22, (THEWILL) – In response to the mounting backlash, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has defended its decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to qualify for the Paris 2024 summer Olympics.
The Committee said that the Olympics cannot be divisive and exclude athletes, citing its unifying character that promotes peace. The IOC recently set out a path for athletes from those countries to earn slots for the Olympics through Asian qualifying and to compete as neutrals, with no flags or anthems.
As THEWILL reported, athletes from Russia and Belarus were banned from many international competitions after Russia invaded Ukraine. However, some international federations are now allowing them back following the IOC guidance. The move has sparked concern from Ukraine and its Eastern European and Baltic neighbours, who are calling for Russian and Belarusian athletes to be banned from Paris as long as Russia’s troops maintain their invasion of Ukraine, which Belarus helped facilitate.
The IOC has responded by stating that its mission is to promote peace through sport and that the Olympics can catalyze dialogue. “Peace-building efforts need dialogue. A competition with athletes, who respect the Olympic Charter can serve as a catalyst for dialogue, which is always a first step to achieving peace,” the IOC said in a statement.
The Committee added that the Olympics can set an example for a world where everyone respects the same rules and one another, opening the door to dialogue and peace-building in ways that exclusion and division do not.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
