IOC bars Russia, Belarus from Paris Olympics opening parade

LAUSANNE, Switzerland — Russian and Belarusian athletes will not be allowed to take part in the traditional parade during the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games, the IOC announced Tuesday.

The opening ceremony on July 26 will see thousands of athletes traveling on boats on the Seine for several kilometers towards the Eiffel Tower, instead of the normal parade of teams inside a stadium.

The IOC said athletes from Russia and Belarus allowed to compete in the Olympics as neutrals will only get the chance to “experience the event”, likely by watching from near the river.

Russia and Belarus are barred from team sports at the Olympics due to the war in Ukraine and the IOC has implemented a two-step vetting process for individual athletes from those countries to gain neutrality status. These athletes must first be approved by the governing body of their individual sport and then by a review committee appointed by the IOC.

Neutral athletes must not have publicly supported the invasion of Ukraine or be affiliated with military or state security agencies. It is unclear whether membership in a Russian military sports club, such as CSKA, will be a reason to refuse neutrality status.

The IOC said it expects about 36 neutral athletes with Russian passports and 22 athletes with Belarusian passports to qualify for the Paris Games.

A decision on whether these athletes will be allowed to participate in the August 11 closing ceremony will be made “at a later stage”, the IOC said.

Medals won by neutral athletes will not be counted as a collective group in the overall medal table.

The IOC also revealed details of the jade green replacement flag that will be used by neutral athletes during the medal ceremonies, during which a specially written, wordless anthem will be played.

The IOC's decision follows the International Paralympic Committee announcing two weeks ago the ban on its opening ceremony in Paris on August 28.