Фото: olympics.com
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) no longer recommends imposing restrictions on the participation of Belarusian athletes, including teams, in competitions under the auspices of international federations and organisers of international sporting events.
The corresponding decision was adopted by the IOC Executive Board today.
“Today, the IOC Executive Board lifted the recommended conditions of participation for international federations and organisers of international sporting events of 28 February 2022 and 28 March 2023, in the part concerning Belarusian athletes, including the protective measures,” the IOC said in a press release, reports.
The IOC stated that athletes’ participation in international competitions should not be restricted by the actions of their governments, including involvement in a war or conflict.
It also noted that Belarusian athletes had taken part in many international competitions, including two Olympic Games, as individual neutral athletes, and this had not led to any incidents in or outside sports venues.
The IOC stressed that the National Olympic Committee of Belarus “complies with the requirements and adheres to the Olympic Charter”.
As for the Russian Olympic Committee, the IOC did not change its decision on its suspension, despite what it described as a “constructive dialogue” on the matter. The committee also said it remains concerned about data related to Russia’s anti-doping system, which is currently being reviewed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).