Russian gymnasts allowed as ‘individual neutral athletes’ from 2024, no decision on Olympics #Russian #gymnasts #allowed #individual #neutral #athletes #decision #Olympics

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Gymnasts from Russia and Belarus will be allowed to take part in sanctioned competitions as “individual neutral athletes” from the start of 2024, the sport’s governing body said Wednesday, but any decision on the Paris Games will be left to the International Olympic Committee.

Russian and Belarus gymnasts had been banned since last year in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Belarus’ military support.

The executive committee of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) said Wednesday it had decided “to authorize, under strict conditions, the participation of athletes and support personnel of Russian and Belarusian sporting nationality in FIG sanctioned events listed on the FIG Calendar as ‘individual neutral athletes’ without any involvement or association with the Russian Federation or the Republic of Belarus, their respective National Federations or National Olympic Committees.”

This image from video released Wednesday, July 19, 2023, appears to show Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin for the first time since he led a short-lived rebellion in June. The grainy video of him speaking to troops at a field camp purportedly in Belarus, was posted on a messaging app channel linked to Prigozhin's Wagner private military company. (AP Photo)

A new video appears to show Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin for the first time since he led a short-lived rebellion last month, and he is seen telling his troops they will spend time in Belarus training its military before deploying to Africa.

FILE - Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko speak during their meeting at the Bocharov Ruchei residence in the resort city of Sochi, Russia, Friday, June 9, 2023. The Belarus Red Cross has sparked international outrage after its chief told Belarusian state television that the organization is actively involved in bringing Ukrainian children from Russian-occupied areas to Belarus. Both Ukraine and the Belarusian opposition have decried the transfer as unlawful deportations, and there have been calls for international war crimes charges for the authoritarian Belarus leader, similar to the charges against Russian President Vladimir Putin. (Gavriil Grigorov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)

The Belarus Red Cross has sparked international outrage after its chief told state television that the organization is actively involved in bringing Ukrainian children from Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine to Belarus.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach speaks at the opening of the extraordinary hybrid 140th IOC Session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), at the Olympic House, in Lausanne, Switzerland, Thursday, June 22, 2023. (Laurent Gillieron/Keystone via AP)

IOC president Thomas Bach says the key factor for an ultimate decision on letting Russians participate at the 2024 Paris Olympics is the athletes’ conduct at international competitions.

This photo taken on Monday, March 12, 2018 and released by svaboda.org RFE/RL shows Belarusian journalist Ihar Karnei, who was arrested in the Belarusian capital, Minsk, on Monday, July 17, 2023. Authorities in Belarus have arrested Ihar Karnei, 55, a prominent journalist working with the U.S.-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the latest step in a yearslong crackdown on opposition figures, independent journalists and human rights activists. (svaboda.org RFE/RL Photo via AP)

Authorities in Belarus have arrested a prominent journalist working with the U.S.-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the latest step in a yearslong crackdown on opposition figures, independent journalists and human rights activists.

This may include Olympic qualifying events, the gymnastics federation said, but added “the decision on whether Russian and Belarusian athletes will be eligible to participate in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games is the responsibility of the IOC.”

The federation also reiterated “its firm condemnation of the senseless invasion of Ukraine by Russia and its commitment to impose severe punishments on anyone in the international Gymnastics community who is involved in war or supports war.”

FIG president Morinari Watanabe’s says: “By accepting Russian and Belarusian gymnasts to participate in competitions as independent neutral athletes, the FIG is ensuring that the rights of all athletes are respected and is sending a message to the world that Gymnastics is seeking peace.”

The IOC has pushed sports governing bodies this year to approve some athletes from Russia and Belarus competing as neutrals for international competitions including Paris qualifying events.

Soccer and track and field have taken the toughest positions against Russia, excluding teams and athletes within days of the invasion of Ukraine starting in February 2022. Russia was removed from trying to qualify for the men’s and women’s World Cup in soccer.

Tennis and cycling mostly continued to let Russians and Belarusians compete as neutrals – but not in team events — without their national identity, and the IOC and its president Thomas Bach have pointed to their success.

Bach said Tuesday that the key factor in weighing the IOC’s ultimate decision on letting Russians participate in Paris is how well athletes behave in international competitions.