IOC responds to Paris mayor on Olympic plan for Russians

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — The International Olympic Committee has pushed back against the mayor of Paris by insisting there are no plans for “a Russian or Belarusian delegation” at the 2024 Games while also acknowledging that some athletes from those countries could be welcomed. The IOC statement came a day after Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo said no Russians or Belarusians should be able to compete at next year’s Olympics because of their involvement in the war in Ukraine. Olympic leaders have set out a path for athletes from Russia and Belarus who have not actively supported the war to try to qualify and compete as “neutral athletes” without a national identity such as team uniforms, flags and anthems.