Russian and Belarusian athletes were intitially banned from competing at the Paris Olympics following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine

Lausanne (AFP) - Fourteen Russian and 11 Belarusian athletes were included on Saturday by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on an initial list of “Individual Neutral Athletes” (AINs) eligible to compete in the Paris Games.

The athletes had to qualify for the Games and pass a double check, first by the international sports federations and then by the IOC, to prove they did not actively support the war in Ukraine or have any links with their countries’ armies.

The athletes named on Saturday compete in four disciplines: road cycling, gymnastics/trampoline, weightlifting and wrestling.

After initially banning the two countries’ athletes from world sport following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the IOC adjusted their regulations to allow their participation, under a neutral banner, subject to strict conditions and excluding team events.

Last March, the IOC was expecting 36 Russians and 22 Belarussians at the Paris Games “according to the most probable scenario”, and a “maximum” of 55 and 28 respectively.

That would be far fewer than the 330 Russians and 104 Belarusians that took part in the last Games in Tokyo in 2021.

The neutral athletes will neither take part in the opening ceremony on the Seine nor appear in the official medal table.

In March, the IOC awarded them a dedicated flag, stamped with the letters “AIN” on an apple-green background, as well as a short composition without words, which will serve as their anthem if they win the Olympic title.

On Friday, Yuliya Efimova, who has three Olympic breaststroke medals, became the first Russian swimmer to be granted neutral status for the Games although she has not yet swum a qualifying time.