Paris Olympics 2024: Russian and Belarusian Athletes to Compete as Neutral Athletes

The 2024 Paris Olympics will witness the participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus as Individual Neutral Athletes (AINs). This decision was made due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The quotas for AINs were determined through existing qualification competitions and eligibility requirements.

For the first time in Olympic history, the opening ceremony will not take place in a stadium. Instead, it will commence on the river Seine, with an armada of boats carrying over 200 delegations of athletes along the river through the city. The boats will depart from the Pont d'Austerlitz bridge and travel six kilometers before reaching the Pont d'Lena near the Eiffel Tower.

The list of eligible AINs includes athletes from various sports, including cycling, gymnastics, taekwondo, weightlifting, wrestling, rowing, shooting, tennis, canoe, judo, and swimming.

In cycling, Tamara Dronova, Alena Ivanchenko, Gleb Syritsa, and Hanna Tserakh have accepted invitations to participate as AINs. In gymnastics, Anzhela Bladtceva and Ivan Litvinovich will represent Russia and Belarus, respectively. Georgiy Gurtsiev will compete in taekwondo for Belarus.

Siuzanna Valodzka and Yauheni Tsikhantsou will represent Belarus in weightlifting. In wrestling, Yahor Akulich, Uladzislau Kazlou, and Viyaleta Rebikava from Belarus have declined invitations, while Mahamedkhabib Kadzimagomedau has accepted.

Yauheni Zalaty and Tatsiana Klimovich will compete in rowing for Belarus. Darya Chuprys and Aliaksandra Piatrova will represent Belarus in shooting.

In tennis, Daniil Medvedev, Roman Safiullin, Ekaterina Aleksandrova, Mirra Andreeva, Pavel Kotov, and Diana Shnaider from Russia have accepted invitations. Aryna Sabalenka and Victoria Azarenka from Belarus have declined.

Aleksei Korovashkov, Zakhar Petrov, Olesia Romasenko, Uladzislau Kravets, and Yuliya Trushkina will represent Russia and Belarus in canoe.

In judo, Valeri Endovitskii, Elis Startseva, Dali Liluashvili, and Makhmadbek Makhmadbekov from Russia have declined invitations.

Evgenii Somov from Russia and Alina Zmushka, Ilya Shymanovich, and Anastasiya Shkurdai from Belarus will compete in swimming.

Tags: #ParisOlympics2024, #IndividualNeutralAthletes, #AINs, #Russia, #Belarus