The committee has been debating for months whether or not to invite the two countries, but has been pressured to make a formal decision as the deadline for sending out invitations approaches later this month.
The International Olympic Committee said Thursday that Russia and Belarus will not be invited to the summer games of Paris 2024 amid Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, but athletes from both countries will still be able to compete as independent athletes under a neutral flag if their sports allow them.
The committee debated for months whether or not to invite the two countries, but he was pressed to make a formal decision as the deadline to send out invitations, traditionally sent out a year before the opening ceremonies, approaches later this month.
In a post on its website, the commission pointed to other sports such as tennis, cycling and soccer that have made similar decisions regarding Russian and Belarusian athletes and said that the decision ultimately came down to ensuring the “safety and integrity” of the Olympics.
The committee said it was also influenced by a letter from him United Nations Human Rights Council which advised that a complete ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes would be “discriminatory and a flagrant violation of human rights”.
Russia’s invasion of Ukrainewhich launched during the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games last year, has been labeled violation of the Olympic Truce which forbids all war during and one week after the fight.
Source :Skai
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