Russia is not invited to Asian Games in China, where it could have qualified for Olympics

Stanislav Pozdnyakov, president of the Russian Olympic Committee, told reporters, according to Azertac.

"In December last year, a summit was held in Lausanne," said Pozdnyakov. "The topic [of Russian athletes' participation in the Asian Games] was warmly supported. What happened afterward is hard to say. There is absolutely no hope. The Asian Games start on the 23rd of September. We did not receive an invitation."

The publication notes that the Asian Games will be held in Hangzhou from September 23 to October 8. In July, the General Assembly of the Olympic Council of Asia supported the proposal voiced at the Olympic Summit to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in the Games.

It was emphasized that 500 quotas would be allocated for athletes from both countries, and their admission would be handled by international federations, with Russians and Belarusians able to compete only in individual sports. Participation in the Asian Games provided an opportunity for Russian and Belarusian athletes to earn a ticket to the 2024 Olympic Games.

Earlier in September, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommended that Russian and Belarusian athletes be allowed to participate in international competitions only as neutral athletes, and only those who did not publicly support the special operation in Ukraine and were not affiliated with the armed forces or national security agencies. Also, Russian and Belarusian athletes should not be represented in team sports. At this time, the IOC has not made a final decision on the admission of Russian and Belarusian athletes to the Olympic Games in Paris, although they have not received an official invitation along with other countries.

As a reminder, on September 1, the IOC did not allow Russians and Belarusians to participate in the Asian Games, which start on September 23. However, this decision was justified not by their position on the aggression in Ukraine, but by technical issues.