Athletes from Russia and Belarus will not be able to compete in equestrian events at the 2024 Paris Olympics, even as neutrals, the international federation has announced, as cited by Reuters.

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There will be no equestrian athletes from Russia and Belarus at the 2024 Olympics in Paris

This month, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) approved the participation of Russians and Belarusians, who qualify in their respective sports, in the 2024 Olympics as neutral, without flags, emblems or anthems.

Russians and Belarusians were initially banned from international competition following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, for which Belarus was used as a training ground.

The International Equestrian Federation (FEI) has banned Russian and Belarusian athletes, horses and officials from participating in its events since last year.

“Under the Olympic Equestrian Qualification System, individual qualification is granted through the FEI Olympic Rating… from 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2023.

As Russian and Belarusian athletes have not participated in FEI competitions since March 2, 2022, representatives of these countries will not participate in the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024,” the FEI said.

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The IOC allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in the Olympic Games in Paris

The International Olympic Committee allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in the Olympic Games in Paris (2024) under a neutral flag, with the exception of team competitions and on the condition that they do not actively support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the International Olympic Committee banned Russians and Belarusians from world sport until the end of February 2022, but has now moved in two stages to secure their return.

The explanation was that athletes should not have to pay for mistakes or actions of the government.

At the same time, the IOC in March recommended international federations to reintegrate Russians and Belarusians under a neutral flag in their competitions.

According to the IOC statement, only eleven “individual neutral athletes”, including eight Russians and three Belarusians, have so far qualified for the 2024 Olympics, compared to around sixty Ukrainian athletes.

The IOC was waiting to assess the conduct of the competition, which was generally deemed satisfactory, and to see the evolution of the position of the Ukrainian government, which initially asked its athletes to boycott any competition involving Russians before softening its stance. position this summer, reports Agerpres.

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