Paris 2024: Flag, anthem and rules for Individual Neutral Athletes approved
This afternoon in Lausanne, Switzerland, the IOC adopted specific rules for the participation of Individual Neutral Athletes (INAs) with Russian or Belarusian passports at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The IOC Executive Board has established an Individual Neutral Athlete Eligibility Review Panel (AINERP) to assess the eligibility of each athlete with a Russian or Belarusian passport who qualifies or could qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The panel consists of three members: Mrs Nicole Hoevertsz, IOC Vice-President, who will chair the panel, Mr Pau Gasol, representative of the IOC Ethics Commission and Mr Seung Min Ryu, representative of the IOC Athletes’ Commission.
The work of the AINERP will be supported by Mrs Paquerette Girard Zappelli, IOC Director of Ethics and Compliance, who will act as the panel’s secretary.
The IOC Executive Board was also informed that 12 INAs with Russian passports and seven INAs with Belarusian passports have currently qualified for the Games starting on 26 July in the French capital. Out of the 6,000 slots allocated, only 19 are currently in this group, but experts currently estimate that in the most likely scenario, at least 36 INAs with Russian passports and 22 INAs with Belarusian passports will qualify for the thirty-third modern Olympic Games.
Compared to the number of athletes from these nationalities who participated in Tokyo 2020, the number is significantly lower. Three years ago, 330 athletes from the Russian Olympic Committee and 104 athletes from the Belarusian NOC participated, which is far from the maximum figures of 55 and 28 respectively that experts believe could be reached.
As far as the participation of the Russian and Belarusian NOCs is concerned, their sporting achievements and medals will not be reflected in the medal table, according to the decision of the IOC Executive Board.
In the extensive press conference held in Switzerland and broadcast live on YouTube, it was also stated that INAs with Russian or Belarusian passports will not take part in the parade of delegations (teams) during the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games, as they are individual athletes, although it was not ruled out that they could take part in the Closing Ceremony, as in the latter they will march together and not in teams.
AINs from either country “will not participate in the parade of delegations and teams during the opening ceremony since they are individual athletes”, IOC director James Macleod said after an executive board meeting of the International Olympic Committee in Lausanne. “But an opportunity will be provided to them to experience the event,” added Macleod.
It has also been clarified that the criterion chosen is the same as that used for independent Olympic participants at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games (from the former Yugoslavia). IOC director said the scenario mirrored that at the 1992 Barcelona Games for “Independent Olympic Participants” from former Yugoslavia.
“The decision regarding the participation of AINs in the closing ceremony will be taken at a later stage, taking into consideration that it is not teams that enter the closing ceremony, but all athletes jointly together.”, he concluded.