Geneva, March 15 (PL) - The president of the Russian Olympic Committee, Stanislav Pozdnyakov, said that his country will not boycott the Paris 2024 Games, despite the restrictions imposed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). 

We will never take the path of boycott. We will always support our athletes. However, we insist that the conditions set by the IOC are illegitimate, unfair and unacceptable, said the former Olympic fencer.

Although the final decision has not been made, everything seems to indicate that the world body will allow Russians and Belarusians who qualify in their respective sports to participate as neutrals without the flags, emblems and national anthems of their countries. However, they will only compete in individual sports and no teams from either nation will be allowed. 

Russians and Belarusians were initially banned from competing internationally in the wake of the armed conflict with Ukraine in February 2022, but gradually - sport by sport - they have been joining the world stage.

A final decision on the participation of these athletes in the Paris 2024 event, to be held from July 26 to August 11, is expected to be made on March 19.