The Russian Olympic Committee faced ongoing scrutiny as its leadership defended the federation’s stance on the Games while criticizing the conditions set for Russian athletes. The ROC president emphasized that the organization has consistently stood by Russian competitors and has not supported any boycott of the Olympics, yet he argued that the conditions imposed by the International Olympic Committee for Russia’s entry to Paris 2024 are illegitimate, unfair, and unacceptable. This position was conveyed through a statement reported by RIA News.
According to the ROC leader, Russia has never withdrawn from Olympic participation and has always supported its athletes competing on the world stage. The key point, he said, is participation under non-discriminatory and equal terms. He contended that Paris 2024 does not offer such equal conditions for Russian athletes, prompting the question of why these disparities exist and what justifies them.
Historical context shows that in late February 2022, the International Olympic Committee recommended that international sports federations exclude athletes from Russia and Belarus from competition due to the Ukraine conflict. Later, in December 2023, the IOC decided that Russian athletes could participate in the 2024 Olympic Games with neutral status, a move that maintained competition while avoiding flag or anthem associations.
On October 12, the IOC announced the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee itself, pending future review, after the inclusion of the self-proclaimed DPR, LPR, and the regions of Zaporozhye and Kherson into the Russian organization. This development marked a significant escalation in the governance of Russian Olympic oversight and its international status.
Earlier reports noted that there had been no formal discussion by the ROC about Russia’s presence in the Olympic arena at that time, a stance that reflected a cautious approach to participation amid evolving political and administrative circumstances.