Latvia may boycott Paris Olympics over admission of Russia’s, Belarus’ athletes

December 12, Pozirk. The decision by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to invite individual athletes from Belarus and Russia to the Paris Olympics in 2024 undermines key principles of the Olympic movement, said Latvia’s President Edgars Rinkēvičs.

Ukrainian and Latvian athletes may not compete in the Olympics if nothing changes, he told journalists at a joint press conference with Lithuania’s and Estonia’s leaders on December 11.

Governments and sports communities in each country should be responsible for the decision to boycott the 2024 Olympics, coordinating their actions with Ukraine and other European countries that are not happy with the IOC decision, lrt.lt reported citing Rinkēvičs as saying.

Estonia’s President Alar Karis was also critical of the IOC for allowing athletes from Russia and Belarus to participate in the Olympics.

Earlier, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda called for unity within the Olympic movement. Olympic principles have nothing to do with terror, murder and destruction, he said in a comment on the recent IOC decision.

On December 8, the IOC announced that it would allow individual neutral athletes from Belarus and Russia to participate in Paris 2024. No Russian or Belarusian officials will be invited to or accredited, it noted.

Athletes who “actively support” the Russian war against Ukraine will not be eligible, just as athletes and support personnel who are contracted to the Russian or Belarusian military or national security agencies.

Belarus was banned from nearly all international competitions after Minsk allowed Russian troops to invade Ukraine from the country’s territory in February 2022.