IOC to send Paris Games invites to 203 countries, no Russia or Belarus for the moment

Invitations to 203 National Olympic Committees for the 2024 Paris Games will be despatched on July 26, the IOC said Thursday, but neither Russia nor Belarus is currently included on the list.

Current IOC recommendations for International Federations and international sports event organisers on the participation of athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport in international competitions “do not concern the participation of athletes and their support personnel with a Russian or Belarusian passport at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 or the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026”, the IOC said.

“The IOC will take this decision at the appropriate time, at its full discretion, and without being bound by the results of previous Olympic qualification competitions.

“The invitations to the 203 eligible NOCs will be sent on 26 July 2023. For the reasons given, this will exclude the NOCs of Russia and Belarus, plus the NOC of Guatemala, which is currently suspended.”

Athletes from Russia and Belarus have faced sanctions from a multitude of sports since Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year.

As Moscow’s assault on Ukraine stretches into a second year, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has recommended allowing athletes from Russia and Moscow ally Belarus to compete as individual neutrals in international competitions.

Their presence has led to boycotts by Ukrainian athletes, and the debate over their reinstatement has remained heated.

Barely 12 months before the Paris Olympics, the international federations are not all in agreement on the issue.

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