Kiev may boycott 2024 Olympics if Russia attends
Ukrainian Youth and Sport Minister Vadym Gutzeit declared on Thursday that his country may abstain from taking part in the 2024 Paris Olympic games in case Russia and Belarus are allowed to compete.
Calling such a possibility mentioned by Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo "unacceptable," the minister stressed that Kiev's "position remains unchanged: as long as the war continues in Ukraine, Russian and Belarusian athletes should not participate in international competitions." He went on to emphasize that he cannot "exclude the possibility" that Ukraine decides to "boycott and refuse to participate in the Olympics."
His sentiment echoes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's appeal to his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron made two days ago. Meanwhile, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) stated it is exploring ways for Russians and Belarusians to compete without national symbols.