Two-time Olympic biathlon champion Svetlana Ishmuratova expressed the opinion that there is no point in Russian athletes going to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris under the conditions set by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). His words lead the way “Match TV”.
“This is a mockery. What do you mean, enduring this bullying? We understand that the referees who will work in the competitions will not look in our direction in any way. And some provocations cannot be ignored. Of course, this will be bad for the psychological climate. We do not know how the athletes will withstand this pressure,” he said.
On December 8, the International Olympic Committee allowed athletes from Russia to participate in the 2024 Olympic Games with neutral status.
The IOC said Russian athletes will be required to sign updated conditions of participation, which include a commitment to respect the Olympic Charter, including the “peaceful mission of the Olympic movement”. Russian athletes who rank well in their own disciplines will be allowed to compete.
In 2022, against the background of the start of SVO in Ukraine, the president of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach recommended that international federations exclude Russian athletes from international competitions. On January 25, 2023, the IOC announced that it was considering the possibility of allowing Russian athletes who do not support the holding of the SBO to participate in international competitions in a neutral status.
Previously IOC criteria for Russia’s admission named illegal and degrading.