Paris 2024 Olympic Games: Russian and Belarusian athletes will not parade on the Seine

Les sportifs russes et bélarusses auront droit à un court hymne sans parole en cas de titre. MAXPPP – Delphine Goldsztejn

The Russians and Belarusians under neutral banners will not parade during the opening ceremony.

Russian and Belarusian athletes admitted under a neutral banner to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris will not parade on the Seine with the other delegations during the opening ceremony on July 26, announced Tuesday the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

As they participate "individually" at the competition, they will not join the national team parade, but"They will have the opportunity to experience the event", indicated James Macleod, director of Olympic Solidarity within the IOC, without further details.

A short hymn without words will be played in case of title

The IOC is thus aligning itself with the decision taken at the beginning of March by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) for the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games, on August 28, and excludes just like the IPC to take into account the podiums of "neutral individual athletes" (AIN) in its medal table.

The executive commission of the body adopted on Tuesday a flag dedicated to the Russians and Belarusians under a neutral banner, stamped with the letters "AIN" on a green background, as well as a short anthem without words, which will be played in the event of an Olympic title.

Striped of their national colors, athletes from the two countries should also be few in number: only 12 Russians and 7 Belarusians have so far qualified for the 2024 Olympics, on the 6,000 tickets already allocated, explained James Macleod.

Athletes from both countries will have to pass the hurdle of an "examination committee"

Experts from the Olympic body project, "according to the most probable scenario", that 36 Russians and 22 Belarusians will cross this obstacle in total, and that at "maximum", there will be 55 and 28 respectively, continued the official during a press briefing. Once qualified, they will also have to pass the obstacle of a "examination committee" set up placed by the IOC to validate their eligibility – which requires in particular that they did not actively support the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

A decision regarding the closing ceremony, which traditionally brings together athletes rather than delegations with a less strict protocol, "will be made later"< /em>, added James Macleod.