Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo said she does not even allow the thought of Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their own flags at the 2024 Olympics.
“I can’t imagine that the IOC would want to take such a decision and leave such a legacy behind. I will do everything I can to prevent this from happening.
The IOC’s choice of Paris to host the Games is very symbolic because it is the capital of human rights. Hidalgo does not turn the face of our country and our city when it comes to human rights violations.” L.
Recall that on January 25, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that it is considering the possibility of allowing Russian athletes who do not support the conduct of a special operation on the territory of Ukraine to participate in international competitions in a neutral status.
IOC President Thomas Bach urged the governments of the countries not to interfere in the issue of the admission of Russian and Belarusian athletes to international competitions. In an interview with Der Spiegel, he pointed out that the IOC does not support discrimination based on nationality, saying that it allows Russians and Belarusians to participate in the 2024 Games without a flag or anthem.
Ilgar Mammadov, Former President of the Russian Fencing Federation expressed concern The safety of Russian athletes after returning to international tournaments.