Another conflict on the horizon? The IOC has opened the door for the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes and warned against political interference

Shortly after a year since the start of the war in Ukraine, this Wednesday the International Olympic Committee It has opened the door for Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete again, under a neutral flag and provided they meet a number of conditions. The recommendation of the IOC Executive Commission, which considered that “no athlete can be deprived of competition because of their passport”, indicated readmission for the Paris 2024 Olympic Gameswhose qualifying tournaments are already underway, and could generate more than one clash in the coming months.

Is that the decision of the body guided by Thomas Bach arrived the next day Volodymyr Zelenskythe Ukrainian president, asked his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macronthe exclusion of Russians from the Olympic and Paralympic events to be held next year.

The IOC said a series of meetings was held last week with its members, athletes’ representatives, International Federations (IFs) and National Olympic Committees (NOCs) to discuss sanctions against Russia and Belarus and support for Ukraine . And that the vast majority of the parties consulted supported the idea of ​​reopening international sport to Russian and Belarusian athletes, in line with the “strong commitment to the unifying mission of the Olympic Movement” and with the Olympic Charter, which calls for “respecting the rights of the athlete to be treated without discrimination”.

The statement stressed that “Governments should not decide which athletes can participate in which event and which athletes cannot.” And he assures that it would be necessary to thoroughly explore what would be the way to resume the participation of athletes under strict conditions.

What would these requirements be? First, the IOC stresses that they will return as “neutral athletes”, and will not represent their state or any other organization in their country in any way.

Furthermore, he explains that only those who have not acted against the IOC peacekeeping mission or actively supported the war in Ukraine will be welcome. So, for example, the gymnast Ivan Kuliaksuspended for one year for standing on the podium with a “Z” on his chest (symbol of the Russian invasion of Ukraine) during the world Cup by the Doha apparatus, in May 2022, could not be readmitted.

Another requirement will be full compliance with the World Anti-Doping Code and all relevant anti-doping rules and regulations, for which individual checks will be carried out on all registered athletes.

The parties consulted by the IOC also unanimously reaffirmed the need to strengthen the sanctions already in place against Russia and Belarus. Therefore, no international sporting event organized or supported by an RU or NOC will take place in those countries; no flag, anthem, color or any other identification of these countries will be displayed at sporting events or rallies; and no Russian or Belarusian government or state official will be invited or awarded accreditation.

Again unanimously, the support and assistance to Ukrainian athletes and the Olympic community was reaffirmed so that they can participate with “a strong team” in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.

The decision of the IOC will certainly provoke the rejection of the Olympic movement, especially by the Ukrainian authorities.

“I especially insisted that Russian athletes should not participate in the Olympic Games in Paris,” Zelensky wrote on his Twitter account. Telegram Monday, after a telephone conversation with Macron.

The Ukrainian president had already made the same request to Bach and, a month ago, he suggested that athletes from Russia and Belarus be “completely cut off” from any international competition.

It is worth mentioning that although clubs and teams from those nations have been suspended and cannot participate in any sporting events (the Russian soccer team missed the Qatar World Cup), there are sports in which they can compete, without their own country’s colors or flag, as is the case on the professional tennis circuits.

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With the IOC on one side and Ukraine on the other, the debate was raised. Should world sport be reopened to Russians and Belarusians?

“The ideal solution does not exist,” he analysed John Malagapresident of Italian Olympic Committee and member of the COI, consulted by the agency HANDLE. “There is no way to please everyone. The IOC’s mission is global and, therefore, the solution should also be global and cover the world’s 206 countries. It is clear that Ukraine does not accept this precept and is putting pressure on it. We’ll have to choose for the lesser evil.”

Last December, Sebastian Copresident of World Athleticshe had taken a stand stating that for him “nothing has changed” and that “all Russian and Belarusian athletes, as well as the coaching and management staff will continue to be excluded from all events organized by World Athletics in the near future”.

On the other side of the discussion it appears, for example, Billie Jean King, living legend of tennis. During its passage through the Australian Openthe former American player has submitted a request to Wimbledonwhich last year banned players of those nationalities from playing the British Grand Slam, which is why it did not distribute points for the rankings, by decision of the ATP and WTA.

“It is necessary that the all of England imitate the other three ‘big’. Life is too short and they should allow those athletes to play and earn points and money,” said the former world number one.

At the center of the controversy was the IOC. “We have to find a way out of this dilemma to go back to contemplating sporting merits and not political interference,” Bach warned late last year. This is the challenge that the German leader and his organization will have to face in the coming months.

With information from agencies