Only 15 Russian athletes will participate in the upcoming Summer Olympic Games in Paris. They will be competing as “Individual Neutral Athletes” (AIN) according to the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Background and Ban
The IOC banned Russian athletes from competition on February 24, 2022, following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
At the time, Russia was already serving a two-year suspension from all international sporting competitions due to a state-sponsored doping program revealed in 2019.
Under the new IOC rules, a number of Russian and Belarusian athletes have been invited to compete as “Individual Neutral Athletes” at the Games. However, these athletes are barred from group events and are not allowed to wear any type of Russian flag or emblem.
The final list of Russian athletes attending the Games includes:
Seven tennis players
Three cyclists
Three kayakers and canoeists
One swimmer
One trampolinist
Sixteen athletes from Belarus have also accepted invitations to compete under the same restrictions.
IOC Stance
The IOC suspended the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) “until further notice” in October 2023, after the ROC recognized Russian-installed Olympic Councils training athletes in Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine. In December, the IOC announced that Russian and Belarusian athletes could only compete in the Summer Games as AINs.
“Like all the other athletes, they will also have to sign the updated Conditions of Participation applicable for Paris 2024. This contains a commitment to respect the Olympic Charter, including ‘the peace mission of the Olympic Movement’,” the IOC said in a press release following the December announcement.
Historical Context
This is not the first time where Russian athletes have faced restrictions in representing their country in major sporting competitions.
At the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo, Russian athletes competed under the banner of the Russian Olympic Committee due to sanctions imposed by the IOC following the doping scandal.
