PARIS — Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo on Tuesday said she didn’t want Russian athletes at the 2024 Olympics, switching sides in what has become a heated debate.
Hidalgo said she “was not in favor” of allowing Russians to compete as neutrals, or under an Olympic Games banner, marking a shift from her stance last month, when she argued that athletes should not be deprived of the ability to participate in the competition based on where they come from.
“For as long as this war goes on, this Russian aggression on Ukraine, it’s not possible to parade as if nothing was happening, to have a delegation arriving in Paris, while bombs are raining on Ukraine,” said Hidalgo during an interview with radio station France Info.
The change of heart puts the Socialist mayor of Paris on a collision course with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which has set out a roadmap for allowing Russians and Belarusians to compete in 2024 as “neutrals ” and under strict conditions. Athletes from both countries have been excluded from many international sports events since Russia launched its all-out war on Ukraine last year.
The IOC’s move has drawn fire from officials in Ukraine, who have stepped up lobbying efforts to get Russians and Belarusians banned and have threatened to boycott the Games. The row has escalated into an international dispute, with Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania also calling for a total ban last week.
While the decision ultimately rests with the IOC, Hidalgo is an important ally for the Ukrainian position, as she sits at the heart of preparations for the Olympics. Hidalgo said she would express her disagreement publicly with the IOC if it did not change its mind.
