PARIS – Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo said Tuesday she does not want Russian athletes at the 2024 Olympics, in what has become a heated debate.
Hidalgo said she was not in favor of allowing Russians to compete as neutrals, or under the banner of the Olympic Games, marking a change from her stance last month, when she argued that athletes should be allowed to participate in the competition. should not be denied the ability to depending on where they come from.
During an interview with the radio, Hidalgo said, “As long as this war goes on, this Russian invasion of Ukraine, it is not possible to parade as if nothing was happening, a delegation coming to Paris, while the bombs go off.” It’s raining.” station france information,
The change of heart puts the socialist mayor of Paris on a collision course with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which has drawn up a roadmap to allow Russians and Belarusians to compete under “neutral” and stricter conditions in 2024. Athletes from both countries have been left out of many international sporting events since Russia launched its all-out war against Ukraine last year.
The IOC’s move has drawn criticism from Ukrainian officials, who have stepped up lobbying efforts to ban the Russians and Belarusians and have threatened to boycott the Games. The issue has turned into an international controversy, with Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania also calling for total bans last week.
While the decision ultimately rests with the IOC, Hidalgo is an important ally for the Ukrainian position, as she sits at the center of preparations for the Olympics. Hidalgo stated that she would publicly express her disagreement with the IOC if the IOC did not change its mind.