OLYMPIC GAMES
Are Russian athletes allowed to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games?
Tennis players Daniil Medvedev, Mirra Andreeva, cyclist Gleb Syritsa and swimmer Evgeny Somov are some of the 15 Russian athletes who will compete in Paris.
Russian athletes will indeed be able to compete in this summer’s Paris Olympics, but there will only be 15 and they will be competing as neutrals, according to the final list published on Thursday by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The list includes seven tennis players, three canoeists, three cyclists, one swimmer, and one trampoline gymnast, compared to the 335 who participated without a flag in Tokyo before the war in Ukraine began.
Who are the Russians competing in the 2024 Olympics?
The tennis players heading to the French capital include Daniil Medvedev, Pavel Kotov, Roman Safiullin, Ekaterina Alexandrova, Mirra Andreeva, Diana Shnider, and Yelena Vesnina.
The Russian cycling team consists of Tamara Dronova, Alyona Ivanchenko, and Gleb Syritsa; while the canoeists and kayakers Zakhar Petrov, Alexey Korovashkov, and Olesya Romasenko will navigate the Parisian waters. They will be accompanied by swimmer Yevgeny Somov and trampoline gymnast Anzhela Bladtseva.
According to the Russian press, a total of 21 athletes, mostly wrestlers and judokas, opted out of competing in the Games despite receiving the IOC’s approval. The federations of these sports argued that the IOC barred some of their best athletes, leading to a collective withdrawal.
No anthem for Russian independents
Per the IOC’s decision, all Russian athletes will compete as neutrals – they will not display national symbols or hear their anthem – and there will be no Russian representation in team sports.
Several countries, including Ukraine, threatened to boycott the Olympics, reminiscent of the boycotts during Moscow 1980 and Los Angeles 1984, if the Russian team participated in its entirety. As an alternative, Russia planned the Friendship Games, set for September, for athletes excluded from the Olympics. However, Moscow has already announced that this competition will be postponed until 2025.
The list of excluded Russian athletes is extensive. It begins with those who publicly supported the Russian military campaign in Ukraine, whether through media, social networks, or public events. It also includes members of the CSKA and Dinamo clubs, historically linked to the Armed Forces and State security organs, respectively. Finally, members of team sports such as volleyball, basketball, water polo, or handball, where Russians have always competed at a high level, will also not be eligible for Olympic glory.