Russia and Belarus will not be invited to compete at next summer’s Paris Olympics due to their ongoing war against Ukraine.
On July 26 — one year out from the start of the 2024 Games — the International Olympic Committee will send out formal invitations to the 203 eligible National Olympic Committees. Russia, Belarus, and Guatemala — the latter suspended since September 2022 due to government interference — will not be among the invitees.
Olympians from Russia and Belarus could still be able to compete in Paris, but only as individual, neutral athletes. The IOC reiterated that it will decide whether these athletes can compete in Paris at a later date.
The previous two Olympics in Beijing and Tokyo forced Russian athletes to compete under the “Russian Olympic Committee (ROC)” banner due to the country’s doping scandal. In Tokyo — the most recent summer games — ROC athletes won 71 medals, the third-most behind the USA and China. Belarus brought home seven medals.
Paris Problems And Peacock
The upcoming Games have made several headlines lately, with developments including a police raid of the Paris 2024 headquarters, the organizing committee’s robust plans for fan events, and Peacock deciding to stream every Olympic event live in the U.S.
