International Olympic Committee: harassed Belarusian athletes can use refugee scholarship

February 20, BPN. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has clarified whether it is possible for Belarusian athletes to participate in the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics.

“Athletes can […] benefit from a Refugee Athlete Scholarship. In order to be eligible for a scholarship and to be selected as part of the IOC Refugee Olympic Team, an athlete needs to be recognized as a refugee in their country of domicile,” the committee told BPN in an email.

The IOC recalled that in March 2021, sanctions were imposed on members of the Belarus Olympic Committee over infringements of athletes’ rights.

The IOC said it “has been in regular contact with the Belarusian Sport Solidarity Foundation (BSSF) and the administration of the NOC of Belarus to try to address any specific issues affecting athletes and members of the Olympic community in Belarus.”

On January 25, the IOC’s Executive Board confirmed sanctions against Belarus and Russia introduced earlier over Russia’s war in Ukraine and Belarusian authorities’ complicity in it.

At the same time, the IOC leadership stressed that no athlete should be “prevented from competing just because of their passport.” It announced “individual checks” for all athletes and said it would allow Belarusians and Russians to compete only in a neutral status, even if they declare antiwar positions.