Russian and Belarusian athletes barred from participating in opening ceremonies of Paris Olympics
The IOC barred athletes from Russia and Belarus from opening ceremonies at the Paris Olympics as organizers target countries "responsible for the war" in Ukraine.
The International Olympic Committee on Tuesday barred athletes from Russia and Belarus from participating in opening ceremonies in Paris as organizers target countries that are "responsible for the war" in Ukraine.
Athletes from those nations, though no teams, would be allowed to compete in individual events as “Individual Neutral Athletes,” or "AINs."
“AINs will not participate in the parade of delegations (teams) during the Opening Ceremony, since they are individual athletes,” according to an IOC statement.
But any Russian or Belarusian athletes associated with "military and national security agencies will not be eligible to be entered or to compete," the IOC said.
Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb 24, 2022, and Moscow's ally and Ukrainian neighbor, Belarus, has played a key support role in the aggression.
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