IOC: Russian, Belarusian Athletes to Participate at Paris Olympics as Neutrals

FILE - The Olympic rings are seen in front of the Paris City Hall, in Paris, on April 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard, File)
FILE - The Olympic rings are seen in front of the Paris City Hall, in Paris, on April 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard, File)
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IOC: Russian, Belarusian Athletes to Participate at Paris Olympics as Neutrals

FILE - The Olympic rings are seen in front of the Paris City Hall, in Paris, on April 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard, File)
FILE - The Olympic rings are seen in front of the Paris City Hall, in Paris, on April 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard, File)

Russian and Belarusian athletes who qualify in their sport for the Paris 2024 Olympics can take part as neutrals without flags, emblems or anthems at the event next year, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Friday.

The athletes had initially been banned from competing internationally following Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year, but have since been gradually allowed back as neutral athletes in most sports.

"The Executive Board (EB) of the IOC has decided that Individual Neutral Athletes (AINs) who have qualified through the existing qualification systems of the International Federations (IFs) on the field of play will be declared eligible to compete at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 in accordance with the conditions outlined below," the Olympic body said in a statement.
"Individual Neutral Athletes are athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport."
The neutral athletes from Russia and Belarus will only compete in individual sports and no teams for the two countries will be allowed to participate in Paris.
The IOC also said athletes who actively support the war in Ukraine will not be eligible while any support personnel who do so will also not be entered.
It said out of 4,600 athletes qualified for the Paris Games so far, eight were Russians and three were Belarusian.



Nadal Says Will Retire from Tennis after Davis Cup Finals

FILE - Rafael Nadal reacts waves after the men's doubles quarter-final tennis competition at the Roland Garros stadium, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, July 31, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez, file)
FILE - Rafael Nadal reacts waves after the men's doubles quarter-final tennis competition at the Roland Garros stadium, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, July 31, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez, file)
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Nadal Says Will Retire from Tennis after Davis Cup Finals

FILE - Rafael Nadal reacts waves after the men's doubles quarter-final tennis competition at the Roland Garros stadium, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, July 31, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez, file)
FILE - Rafael Nadal reacts waves after the men's doubles quarter-final tennis competition at the Roland Garros stadium, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, July 31, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez, file)

Rafael Nadal announced Thursday he will retire from tennis at age 38 following next month's Davis Cup finals.
Nadal won 22 Grand Slam singles titles during an unprecedented era he shared with his rivals in the so-called Big Three, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
In an announcement on social media, the Spaniard indicated his decision was related to persistent injury problems.

"It has been some difficult years, these last two especially," Nadal, who won a record 14 French Open titles, said in a video.
"I am very excited that my last tournament will be the Davis Cup representing my country. It's closing the circle because one of my first joys was the final in Sevilla in 2004."
The Davis Cup knockout phase will be played from Nov. 19-24.
Nadal's career has been hampered by injuries and he missed the 2023 French Open and was beaten in the first round by German Alexander Zverev this year.
He won his last Roland Garros title in 2022 and left the Paris clay on a jaw-dropping 112-4 win-loss record.