Paris will host the next year’s Olympics. It will be the third time that the French capital has hosted the Summer Games, but the most recent edition in the city was exactly 100 years ago, in 1924.
World Athletics is standing by its ban of all Russian and Belarusian athletes from the biggest Olympic sport of all, despite the International Olympic Committee clearing their participation.
The IOC confirmed on Friday that governing bodies could permit neutral athletes from these countries, subject to certain conditions, amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.
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When does Paris 2024 take place?
The 33rd Summer Olympic Games – or formally, the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad – will run from Friday July 26, 2024 until Sunday August 11. As is tradition, the official Opening Ceremony will take place on Friday July 26.
Over 10,000 athletes from 206 nations are expected to take part across 329 events, representing more than 28 sports.
What is the latest news?
By Jeremy Wilson
World Athletics is standing by its ban of all Russian and Belarusian athletes from the biggest Olympic sport of all, despite the International Olympic Committee clearing their participation.
The IOC confirmed on Friday that governing bodies could permit neutral athletes from these countries, subject to certain conditions, amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.
In explaining their decision, the IOC noted that athletes from those countries had competed under strict conditions of neutrality in certain qualifying events over recent months “largely without incident”.
Russians and Belarusians were not, however, permitted during the World Athletics Championships in August and the sport’s president Sebastian Coe, who has not ruled out standing himself to become the next IOC president, stressed that they would not be competing in Paris.
“We have a fixed position,” Coe said, following a World Athletics Council meeting in Monaco on Friday.
“That position hasn’t altered, and I think it is right that international federations should make judgements that they feel is in the best interests of their sport. That is what our council has done.
“You may well see some neutral athletes from Russia and Belarus in Paris. They just won’t be in athletics.
“The position that our sport took, and has consistently taken, is unchanged. It is a settled position.”
It is a position that is also shared by the British Government, who have consistently opposed the inclusion of any Russian and Belarusian athletes next summer.
The IOC have highlighted how there are many conflicts currently around the globe and have argued, largely on the grounds of human rights, that sport should not issue a blanket ban on individual athletes on account of their nationality and government’s actions.
An IOC statement on Friday confirmed that qualified neutral athletes could compete next summer, but outlined their eligibility criteria. This includes allowing only individual athletes and not Russian teams, flags or emblems.
Athletes and support personnel who actively support the war in Ukraine must also remain barred, as must any athlete or support staff member contracted to the Russian or Belarusian military or security agencies.
All athletes, support personnel and officials from Russia and Belarus are currently excluded from all World Athletics Series events and from hosting any international or European athletics events.
Only 11 of more than 4,500 currently qualified athletes are from Russia or Belarus.
Critics of the IOC’s position argue that it is almost impossible to verify potential links between athletes and the Russian state or military. Ukraine have threatened to boycott the Olympics if Russian and Belarusian athletes compete even as neutrals next summer.