Russian and Belarusian Athletes Barred from Parade of Nations at Paris Olympics
After an IOC executive board meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland on Tuesday (Mar 19), the International Olympics Committee (IOC) announced that Russian and Belarusian athletes will not be participating in the parade of nations at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics. This decision comes as athletes from the two countries have been competing under a neutral flag, and the latest ruling is expected to deepen this separation.
Neutral Athletes Excluded from Opening Ceremony
IOC director James McCloud stated that neutral athletes from Russia and Belarus will not partake in the parade of delegations and teams during the opening ceremony, as they are considered individual athletes. This mirrors a similar scenario from the Barcelona Olympics in 1992, where independent athletes from former Yugoslavia followed a comparable protocol.
The Summer Olympics opening ceremony, scheduled for July 26, will witness thousands of athletes from around the world traveling on boats down the River Seine towards the Eiffel Tower. Typically, athletes complete a lap around the stadium where the Olympic flame is ignited.
Participation in Closing Ceremony
A decision regarding the participation of these athletes in the closing ceremony on August 11 will be made at a later stage. However, even then, athletes from Russia and Belarus will not enter as teams but as independent athletes collectively.
Expected Number of Neutral Athletes
Reports suggest that the IOC anticipates approximately 36 neutral athletes with Russian passports and 22 with Belarusian passports to qualify for the Paris Olympics.
IOC Criticizes Russia’s ‘Friendship Games’
The IOC’s decision to bar Russian and Belarusian athletes from the parade of nations at the Paris Olympics comes shortly after the committee condemned Russia for organizing the ‘Friendship Games,’ which aims to politicize the world of sports.
The IOC Athletes’ Commission expressed strong opposition to the use of athletes for political propaganda, describing the World Friendship Games, set to take place in Moscow in September, as a cynical attempt by Russia to politicize sport.
According to the Russian state news agency TASS, the World Friendship Games is expected to host 5,500 participants competing for a prize purse of approximately $50 million.
