July 26th 2024.
As the Olympics in Paris draw near, it has been announced that athletes from Russia and Belarus will be competing under the Individual Neutral Athletes flag. This may sound familiar as Russian athletes were also forced to do the same at the previous Olympics in Tokyo. Back in 2019, the World Anti-Doping Agency imposed a four-year ban on Russia for their involvement in a state-sponsored doping scheme. As a result, Russian athletes were not allowed to compete under their national flag and instead represented the Russian Olympic Committee, also known as ROC.
On the other hand, Belarus was able to participate in the Tokyo Olympics without any restrictions and even brought home seven medals, including one gold for Ivan Litvinovich in the men's trampoline event. However, things have taken a different turn this time as both Russia and Belarus have been banned from sending teams to Paris due to Russia's controversial invasion of Ukraine, which has been supported by Belarus.
But what does this mean for individual athletes from these countries? Well, they have been given the opportunity to compete in Paris under strict eligibility conditions set by the International Olympic Committee. Each athlete has been thoroughly checked by an IOC panel to ensure they have not shown support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine or have any military ties.
The list of athletes who have been invited to compete as Individual Neutral Athletes in Paris has been released and it includes names from various sports such as road cycling, gymnastics, taekwondo, weightlifting, wrestling, rowing, shooting, tennis, canoeing, and swimming. However, some athletes from both Russia and Belarus have declined the invitation, including tennis player Andrey Rublev who won gold in the doubles event in Tokyo.
For those who do choose to compete, they will not be able to represent their country in any way. This means they will not be able to wear their national colors, display their flag, or play their anthem. Furthermore, Russia and Belarus are also banned from entering any team sports at the Olympics.
You may be wondering, what exactly does AIN mean? Well, AIN stands for Athlete Individuel Neutre which is French for individual neutral athlete. It is the acronym used for these individual athletes who are not representing their country but competing as neutral athletes.
As these athletes prepare for the Olympics, it's important to note that there are some rules they must follow. For instance, they will not be included in the parade of teams during the opening ceremony. However, during medal ceremonies, the AIN flag will be flown and a special AIN anthem, with no lyrics, will be played. This anthem was created by the IOC specifically for these athletes and can be listened to by clicking here.
Moreover, any medals won by AIN athletes will not be displayed in the overall medal table. And while a decision has yet to be made regarding their participation in the closing ceremony, it is still a possibility as it is not teams but all athletes together who enter the closing ceremony.
In conclusion, the Olympics in Paris will see Russian and Belarusian athletes competing under the Individual Neutral Athletes flag, representing themselves as individuals rather than their countries. It's a unique and significant moment for these athletes who have overcome various challenges to participate in the world's biggest sporting event.
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