Exclusion of Russian and Belarusian Athletes from Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony by IOC

The IOC has announced that Russian and Belarusian athletes will not be allowed to participate in the traditional parade at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, with approved neutral athletes likely to watch from near the River Seine. The decision follows a ban by the International Paralympic Committee for its opening ceremony. The IOC has laid out a vetting procedure for individual athletes from Russia and Belarus to be granted neutral status, with specific criteria including no public support for the invasion of Ukraine or affiliation with military or state security agencies. Additionally, the IOC revealed that any medals won by neutral athletes will not be counted as a collective group in the overall medals table, and detailed the replacement flag and anthem for neutral athletes at medal ceremonies.