Sports
Russian Athletes Compete as ‘Individual Neutral Athletes’ in Paris Olympics
In a significant shift for the upcoming Olympics, Russian athletes will compete under the new name ‘Individual Neutral Athletes’ or AIN in Paris. This change comes as Russia continues to face sanctions impacting their participation in the Games due to past doping scandals and more recent political controversies.
Since 2016, Russian athletes have had to compete under various titles after being embroiled in a state-sponsored doping scheme that tarnished the country’s reputation in international sports. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) suspended Russia back in 2017, but some athletes were allowed to compete after passing rigorous testing and approval processes.
Previously, at the Tokyo Olympics, Russian athletes were known as the Russian Olympic Committee, or ROC, but now they will be competing as AIN. This year, the guidelines are much stricter, with a reduced number of athletes from both Russia and Belarus competing.
As of mid-June, the IOC has permitted a limited number of athletes from these countries to participate, and today, Russian athletes are capped at 55 while Belarusian athletes are capped at 28. In contrast, there were about 330 Russians who competed at the last Summer Olympics.
It’s worth noting that those athletes will not be able to use the Russian flag or anthem when they compete, marking a significant departure from traditional national representation at such events.
This change comes on the heels of several controversies surrounding Russian athletics, most recently, the country’s invasion of Ukraine, leading to further scrutiny and restrictions from international sports bodies.
Under IOC rules, athletes who support the war or are linked to military and national security agencies would be disqualified. Additionally, they cannot showcase any national symbols at international events.
The emphasis is on treating athletes as individuals rather than representatives of their country. This approach aims to honor Olympic ideals while still addressing international concerns about Russia’s actions on the global stage.
