Russian and Belarusian tennis players will have the chance to take part in the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris as neutrals, the ITF announced today.
World number four Daniil Medvedev said he was excited about competing at the #Paris2024 Olympics and will follow the rules as a neutral athlete after the sport's governing body announced its stance on players from Russia and Belarus https://t.co/tmM2vQq5uv
— Reuters (@Reuters) March 7, 2024
The International Tennis Federation shared that players from these countries would have the opportunity to play in “an individual and neutral capacity” if they met the selection and eligibility requirements and complied with some other rules of the IOC.
Both countries’ players were suspended from competing internationally after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine 2 years ago.
One year ago, however, the International Olympic Committee announced a set of recommendations for international sports federations to reverse the ban on players from Russia and Belarus.
The neutral athletes will participate without flags, emblems, or anthems. If someone openly supports what is happening politically, they will not be able to play in Paris or those who have ties with the military of those countries.
Tennis players have been playing on the ATP/WTA tours as neutrals since the beginning of the war between Russia and Ukraine.