UK urges admission of Russian, Belarusian athletes to Olympic Games

British Olympic Association chief executive Andy Anson has told Sky Sports News that they and Team GB would accept Russian and Belarus athletes competing at Paris 2024, but only if they are completely neutral, Report informs.

Anson added that if the International Olympic Committee does decide to allow Russian athletes to compete in Paris they expect approximately only 100 would make it to the Games next summer.

A decision on whether to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus in any form to compete at the Games next year has yet to be taken by the IOC. It's expected that they will make a ruling early next year.

Currently, the Russian Olympic Committee has had its membership of the IOC suspended following the ROC's inclusion of four annexed Ukrainian regions into its organization. The IOC says Russia has breached the 'Olympic Charter' and has suspended them, although a final ruling on this is due to be heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Anson, after consulting with Team GB athletes through their own Commission, has said that a compromise position where athletes from Russia and Belarus compete at Paris 2024 strictly as neutral individuals with no links to the military or backing of the war in Ukraine, has been agreed.

A neutral athlete would practically mean they could not wear any apparel with the Russian flag or logo or association with the Russian state, fly the Russian flag or have the Russian national anthem played.