With two years until the Paris Olympics open, Russia is making plans for its athletes to live and compete in the French capital even though many are still denied the upcoming qualifying events due to the war in Ukraine .
Russian Olympic Committee President Stanislav Pozdnyakov wrote on the Telegram messaging app Tuesday that the country was working to get its athletes access to qualifying events and was already making plans for the Olympic village in 2024.
Most Olympic sports have suspended athletes from Russia and Belarus since the invasion of Ukraine began in February, following a recommendation from the International Olympic Committee. However, the IOC did not suspend the Russian Olympic Committee, the body that enters the Russian teams for the Games.
“In exactly two years, the Olympic Games will begin in Paris. Despite all the circumstances, the Russian Olympic Committee is a full participant in the Olympic movement,” Pozdnyakov wrote. “We are continuing with our systematic preparations for the Games and we are also working to ensure equal qualification opportunities and presence of our athletes in the Olympic village and in the venues, their participation in events during the Games. “
Qualifying for some Olympic sports has already started, but others won’t start until next year. If sports federations lift bans on Russian athletes competing in international events such as Olympic qualifiers, this could lead to boycotts from Ukraine.
The International Judo Federation allowed the Russian team to continue competing as neutral athletes without their flag or anthem. In response, Ukraine refused to participate when the Olympic judo qualification began last month, in particular because it said that 11 of 24 athletes on the Russian team in this event were members of the military
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