The 2024 Paris Olympics is getting nearer with every passing day. Many major decisions are being taken by the authorities these days. One very important change in the track and field community currently is making waves all over the internet. The World Athletics, which is the international governing authority for track and field, released the statement that some members of an internal working group will make some major decisions about neutral players.
After the sensitive situation between Russia and Ukraine, the World Athletics has excluded the Russian and Belarus competitors, coaches, and officials ever since March 2022. The upcoming Paris Olympics are no different. A major decision regarding the same has yet again been taken by the apex body of the track and field.
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Hope for neutral athletes?
On the 8th of December 2023, the World Athletics confirmed the names of the members of an internal working group that has made a crucial decision regarding all the Russian and Belarusian track and field athletes. The members of this group inculcate, Francis Dadoo, who is the chair of the group. With him, the others are Beatrice Ayikoru, Arina Riccardi, Ami Baran, and Lea Sprunger.
According to the Daiji World, this group of people is responsible for advising and recommending to the World Athletics Council if the warrants on Russia and Belarus are ideal or if they should be replaced, added, or differentiated with other deterrents to be involved under Article 13 of the World Athletics Constitution.
Not just this, a ray of hope shines for those athletes as these members will also be responsible for considering the situations and criteria that would need to be in place to allow the future participation of these athletes in the Paris Olympics. Both the Russian and Belarus Athletic Foundations have been informed about this decision and the role of this working group. The president of World Athletics, Sebastian Coe has shared his statements about the same too.
The authority expresses opinions about the neutral athletes
Sebastian Coe, the president of World Athletics, declared that there will be no Russians or Belarusians competing as neutrals in the athletics at the Paris Olympics. He added, “You may well see some neutral athletes from Russia and Belarus in Paris, it just won’t be in athletics”.
However, the International Olympic Committee has allowed the Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in the 2024 Paris Olympics as neutrals. They are allowed to participate outside the team events as long as they do not actively support the sensitive factors and the war on Ukraine.
Coe to this expressed, “I think it’s right that international federations should make the judgments that they feel are in the best interest of their sport. And that’s what our council has done”. The judgment passed by the track and field authorities is fixed and no neutral athletes will be allowed in the events.
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Written by
Edited by
Bhujaya Ray Chowdhury