(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Reuters
BERLIN: Russian and Belarusian athletes could participate in Asian events with the International Olympic Committee looking at options for their return to international competitions.
The IOC said on Wednesday the Olympic Council of Asia had offered Russian and Belarusian athletes the chance to compete in Asia.
The IOC said it 'welcomed and appreciated the offer from the Olympic Council of Asia to give these (Russian and Belarusian) athletes access to Asian competitions,' it said in a statement.
That could potentially also include Olympic qualifying events, with Russian and Belarusian athletes unable to compete in Europe due to various restrictions and bans as well as opposition caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The IOC is eager to include Russian and Belarusian athletes as neutrals at the Paris 2024 Olympics, which would mean competing under the Olympic flag, but it is still unclear if and how they can qualify.
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February, many sports bodies have moved events and suspended Russian teams or athletes while sponsors ended contracts in protest against the war.
The IOC had recommended that events in Russia be cancelled or relocated and that Russian and Belarusian athletes not take part or compete under a neutral flag.
It said on Tuesday following consultation with stakeholders that 'no athlete should be prevented from competing just because of their passport'.
A pathway for their return to competition 'under strict conditions' should be further explored, it said.
Qualifiers for the Paris Olympics in some sports have started with many more taking place throughout the year.
A total of 32 sports are on the programme for the Olympics in 2024 with around 10,500 athletes set to qualify through hundreds of continental and international competitions.
MENAFN25012023000063011010ID1105477212
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.