Individual Russian and Belarusian athletes are allowed to participate in the Olympic Games under a neutral flag. Additionally, certain neutrality requirements are imposed, including that athletes must not actively support Russia's war in Ukraine.
15 Russian and 17 Belarusian athletes are registered for the Olympic Games. According to the GRC, ten of the 15 Russian athletes "have broken the principles of participation", reports AFP.
"Not acted in accordance with their own rules"
One of them is Yelena Vesnina, a Russian tennis player born in Ukraine. According to the GRC, she has liked posts about Russian soldiers killing Ukrainians and posts displaying the Russian war symbol "Z". Along with Yekaterina Alexandrova, she lost her first match in the tournament against a Czech pair on Monday.
Another, cyclist Tamara Dronova, is accused of having ties to Russia's national security service.
The GRC sharply criticizes the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) review process:
"Despite clear evidence of rule-breaking, the IOC has not acted in accordance with its own rules", they write.
The IOC responded with a statement to AFP:
"The athletes have been reviewed in accordance with the IOC's board decision and the principles established. We have nothing more to add."
Sweden against Russian participation
Bo Petersson – professor of political science at Malmö University and specialized in Russian politics – told TT last week that the Russian athletes' participation in the Olympic Games cannot be seen as a political triumph for Russia in the short term.
Purely politically, it's not a propaganda victory for Russia or Belarus. It can, of course, be interpreted in internal propaganda as yet another proof that the "evil West" is always opposing them. And that will probably happen, he says.
The Swedish Olympic Committee is against the decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate.
We don't think Russian and Belarusian athletes or leaders should be allowed to participate in international sports while waging an aggressive war against a neighboring, free nation. We think it's wrong, said Sweden's team leader Peter Reinebo earlier to TT.
The International Olympic Committee has issued the following recommendations for Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under a neutral flag at the Olympic Games in Paris:
+ Athletes with Russian or Belarusian passports can only compete individually and as neutrals.
+ No teams consisting of athletes with Russian or Belarusian passports can compete.
+ Athletes, leaders, or officials who have actively supported the war cannot compete.
+ Athletes employed or contracted by the Russian or Belarusian military or security service cannot compete.
+ Athletes must comply with the anti-doping regulations.
Russian athletes were allowed to compete under a neutral flag at the 2018 and 2022 Winter Olympic Games and the 2021 Summer Olympic Games – due to a ban for widespread doping in the country.
32 athletes from Russia and Belarus are registered for the Olympic Games in Paris. Tennis is the sport with the most athletes from the two countries. The Russian world number five Daniil Medvedev is a notable name.
Source: The Swedish Olympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee
