”Neutral” Russian and Belarusian tennis players were allowed to participate in the Olympics and Paralympics
- Author:
- Liza Brovko
- Date:
The International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee allowed Russian and Belarusian tennis players to participate in the Olympic Games in Paris 2024 in a neutral status.
This was reported by the International Tennis Federation (ITF).
Russians and Belarusians will be able to compete as neutral individual athletes if they have followed the principles of the Olympic and Paralympic Committees. They must also fulfill the selection criteria set by the ITF.
"The decision of the International Tennis Federation coincides with the decision of most international federations regarding individual competitions and athletes participating in the Games in Paris 2024 this summer. The ITFʼs position is also in line with the current international tennis policy, which was adopted in March 2022," the statement added.
Currently, it is not known whether Russians and Belarusians are allowed to participate in doubles and mixed tournaments.
The ban on participation in team competitions remains.
The Olympic Games in Paris will last from July 26 to August 11, 2024.
- On December 8, 2023, the International Olympic Committee admitted Russian and Belarusian athletes to the 2024 Games in Paris in a neutral status. This decision was made by the IOC Executive Committee. The head of the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, Matvyi Bidnyi , called the decision of the International Olympic Committee irresponsible. At the same time, the International Equestrian Federation has banned athletes from Russia and Belarus from participating in the 2024 Olympic Games.
- On March 30, 2023, the Cabinet of Ministers decided that Ukrainian athletes will not participate in tournaments that will feature athletes from Russia or Belarus. However, on July 27, the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine issued an order that allowed Ukrainians to participate in competitions where Russians and Belarusians compete in a neutral status, and not under their flags.