The Executive Board (EB) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has decided that Individual Neutral Athletes (AINs) with Russian or Belarusian passports, who have qualified through the existing qualification systems of the International Federations (IFs), will be eligible to participate in the Olympic Games Paris 2024 under strict conditions. Only 11 Individual Neutral Athletes will participate among the over 4,600 qualified athletes for Paris 2024. They must also comply with anti-doping rules and adhere to the Olympic Charter.
The stringent conditions include, among others, the exclusion of athletes actively supporting the war, as well as athletes and support personnel affiliated with Russian or Belarusian military or national security agencies. Sanctions against the Russian and Belarusian states remain in place, meaning no national symbols from either country will be displayed, and their government officials will not be invited.
The IOC will conduct independent evaluations of proposed Individual Neutral Athletes and their support personnel. The decision is based on considerations such as the request from International Federations, athletes' support not to penalize individuals for their government's actions, and international support for the autonomy of sport and political neutrality of the IOC.
The commitment of the Olympic Movement to support Ukrainian athletes is emphasized, with the IOC tripling its Solidarity Fund for the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine to USD 7.5 million. Over the past 12 months, more than 3,000 Ukrainian athletes and members of the Olympic community have benefited from financial and logistical support to ensure their training and participation in competitions.
Source: IOC