Russian athletes will not be represented at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. This stance reflects the position outlined by influential bodies in international sports governance, including World Athletics, the global federation for track and field. The federation has a recognized authority to evaluate and decide which competitors are eligible to take part based on the rules it enforces for participation at international events.
There is a clear, longstanding policy on participation that remains unchanged. The emphasis is on maintaining the integrity of competition while ensuring that decisions about athlete eligibility are made by the relevant international federations themselves, rather than by external bodies alone. This approach highlights the autonomy of sport organizations when assessing athletes against specific criteria, including whether they compete under neutral status when appropriate.
In December 2023, a landmark decision by the International Olympic Committee allowed Russians to enter the Paris Games under a neutral status. This means Russian athletes who achieve high rankings in their respective disciplines may enter the competition without competing under their country’s flag. The policy aims to balance the desire to participate with the need to uphold the Olympic values and ensure a fair playing field for all athletes involved.
The background to these policies includes earlier discussions dating back to 2022, when the IOC leadership at the time urged international federations to exclude Russian athletes from certain international contests as a response to broader political and security concerns. In early 2023, the IOC signaled openness to allowing Russian competitors who do not actively support or participate in events that violate Olympic principles to compete under neutral status in international events. This stance reflects ongoing deliberations about how to reconcile participation rights with questions of accountability and the broader international context.
Across these developments, there is a consistent emphasis on neutrality and the mechanisms through which athletes can compete while not representing their nation in a way that could be interpreted as endorsement of particular political positions. The collective goal is to separate sport from partisan issues while preserving the credibility and universality of the Olympic movement. The ongoing dialogue among international bodies underscores a commitment to fair competition and the need for clear guidelines that apply to all athletes, regardless of origin. In this framework, Russian athletes have the opportunity to participate in the Games if they meet neutral-status criteria and rank competitively within their sports, reinforcing the principle that merit can prevail within the guidelines established by the sport’s governing bodies.