Mayor of Paris Ann Hidalgo Takes Strong Stance Against Russian Athletes Participating in Olympics if Hostilities Continue Against Ukraine

Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Ann Hidalgo for her unwavering position on the issue of preventing athletes from the Russian Federation from participating in international competitions.

Russian athletes should not be admitted to the Olympics if Russia continues to wage war against Ukraine in 2024.

The Mayor of Paris (the city that will host the next Summer Olympic Games) Anne Hidalgo made a corresponding statement during the International Summit of Cities and Regions with the participation of Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, informs WHOP.

According to the mayor of the French capital, the continuation of hostilities by the Russians will mean that they attack not only Ukraine, but also European values. Under such conditions, athletes from the Russian Federation have no place at the main starts of the four-year period.

“As for me, Russian athletes cannot be accepted in Paris (during the Olympic Games – ed.) if the war continues”stressed Hidalgo and added that she, together with the Ukrainian side, intends to convince countries and international sports federations of this.

The President of Ukraine thanked the Mayor of Paris for such a position on the issue of maintaining maximum sanctions against Russian sports.

It is worth noting that this is not the first time Hidalgo has spoken out on the issue of the removal of Russian and Belarusian athletes from the upcoming Olympics. In February she statedwhich is against the participation of Russians and Belarusians in the Games, and in any status.

Earlier, the IOC stated that the decision on the admission of Russian and Belarusian athletes to the Olympic Games-2024 would be made no earlier than a year before the start of the Games. At the same time, the IOC recommended federations to return the representatives of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus to international competitions, subject to their neutrality.

At the same time, a number of sports organizations, after the IOC statement, announced the continuation of the suspension of Russians and Belarusians. For example, on Thursday, April 20, about such decision reported in the International Badminton Federation.

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Author:
Artem Malinovsky