Olympic Council of Asia Proposes Russia and Belarus to Return to Sport Events as Part of Asia

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IOC

The Associated Press reported that negotiations are ongoing for Russia and Belarus to return to some international sports events and Olympic qualifiers by competing as part of Asia rather than Europe.

International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach received a “creative” plan from the "Olympic Council of Asia" at the 11th Olympic Summit in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Friday 9 December 2022. The plan detailed the initiative to allow athletes from Russia and its ally Belarus to join competitions in Asia after more than nine months of isolation from most Olympic sports following the invasion of Ukraine and the on-going war there.

Russia to Become Part of Asia instead of Europe?

"The statement did not directly address whether Russia and Belarus can send teams to the 2024 Olympics in Paris, but a move from Europe to Asia offers a potential way for Russian athletes to compete in continental events which serve as qualifiers for the Games. Qualifying in some sports is already underway," AP reported.

On 28 February 2022 the IOC banned Russian and Belarusian athletes from competition, citing concerns over safety and the integrity of competitions. Most Olympic sports followed its lead and imposed bans.

Further Exploration

At the end of the 11 Olympic Summit, the vast majority of the Olympic Summit participants confirmed that the sanctions against the Russian and Belarusian states and governments remain firmly in place. They also confirmed the full commitment to solidarity with the Ukrainian athletes and the Ukrainian Olympic community in order to have a strong team from the NOC of Ukraine at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 and the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

However, the summit unanimously agreed the following: "The IOC to lead the further exploration of the OCA initiative concerning the participation of athletes who are in full respect of the Olympic Charter and the sanctions. This initiative to be discussed in the next round of IOC consultation calls with the IOC Members, the athletes’ representatives, the International Federations and the National Olympic Committees."