14 months before the Paris-2024 Olympic Games, uncertainty reigns in terms of the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes, while international federations are studying the lifting of sanctions on a case-by-case basis, as they interpret the recommendations of the International Olympic Committee ( IOC).
The Olympic body has yet to decide on the presence or not of Russians and Belarusians in the Games (from July 26 to August 11, 2024), something that it will do “at the right time”, without having set a deadline.
Awaiting the decision of the IOCthe international federations are divided between those that have already readmitted athletes from these two countries, sanctioned by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and those that continue to close the door to their reinstatement.
The powerful federation of athleticsthe king of the Games report, has decided to maintain the exclusion measures.
He too badminton: the secretary general of the International Federation (BWF), Thomas Lund, explained however that “dialogue with the IOC is maintained to obtain greater clarity on the paths to follow”, according to a statement transmitted to the agency AFP.
“Clarity” is the key term, as the different sports, in increasing numbers, have begun to put an end to widespread sanctions, as has already been done by the fencinghe table tennis or the rafting.
But the different recommendations made by the IOC, which would bet on readmitting athletes if they compete under a neutral flag and individually, are also interpreted differently.
Notion of equipment without specifying
Russian and Belarusian athletes “can only compete as neutral individual athletes,” said the body chaired by Thomas Bach in its recommendations, clearly excluding “teams”, that is, team sports.
However, it is not clear what to do in those individual disciplines where there are team events.
“The definition of team sports or team events is established in accordance with the IF (International Federations) regulations,” according to the IOC.
Thus, table tennis prepares the return of eligible athletes, both in singles and doubles tournaments.
But if their participation in Paris is finally accepted, Russian and Belarusian table tennis players could compete for a medal in the mixed doubles, but not in the team events.
More surprising, as the current situation stands, the International Fencing Federation (FIE) would not accept Russians and Belarusians in the team events, unlike canoeing, whose federation (ICF) seems willing to accept the luggage of two to four members.
investigate neutrality
Various federations, such as those of Judo (IJF) or Fencing (FIE) have hired private companies specializing in internet reputation to ensure that readmitted athletes conform to the principle of neutrality demanded by the IOC, that is, they have not “actively supported the war”.
Not all federations have sufficient resources, but they have all announced that they will create an independent committee to study case by case.
Except in judo, where 19 “neutral individual athletes” are currently participating in the World Cup that is being held in Doha, the sports that have lifted the sanctions on Russians and Belarusians have not yet set a date for their return to competitions.
However, in several of them the Olympic qualification tests have already begun. And the IOC “will not ask international federations to retroactively adapt their qualification systems.”
All eyes are now turned towards the European Games that will be held in Krakow (Poland) from June 21 to July 2 and that will have a great weight in the Olympic qualifications in disciplines such as archery or fencing, between two of which Russian and Belarusian athletes have been readmitted.
But will they be able to participate? Last month, one of the stages of the fencing World Cup that was to be held in Poznan, another Polish city, was canceled after the Russian re-entry. Not to mention that several European federations, a continent in which the rejection is greater than worldwide, are studying to separate Russians and Belarusians, which would leave them without the possibility of adding precious points in the race for the Games.
