Ukraine asks IOC to investigate Russian and Belarusian Games participation

PARIS (Agencies): The Ukrainian Olympic Committee has asked the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to investigate the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in the Paris Olympics following alleged breaches of neutrality on Wednesday. “I would like to address to you again on the issue of potential participation of AIN athletes (neutral individual athletes) with Russian and Belarusian passports, in particular those who compete in wrestling sport, in the Olympic Games Paris 2024 and their adherence to the IOC Recommended Conditions of Participation,” Ukrainian Olympic Committee president Vadym Huttsait wrote in a letter to IOC chief Thomas Bach published on its website on Wednesday. In December, the IOC said Russians and Belarusians who qualify for this year’s Olympics could take part in individual events as neutrals without their national flags, emblems or anthems. Every athlete will need to meet certain conditions that include that they have not actively supported the war on Ukraine. They also cannot be contracted to the Russian or Belarusian military or national security agencies. “We should like to address the IOC with a request to pay special attention to these issues”, Huttsait added, attaching a list of athletes who “in our opinion” do not meet the neutrality requirements from the IOC. The Paris Olympics will run from July 26-Aug 11.