Ukraine will not boycott 2024 Olympics if Russians, Belarusians compete in neutral status

Huttsait made the statement in an interview with Kyodo News. 

According to him, Ukraine is ready to compete at the 2024 Olympics, even if neutral athletes from Russia and Belarus participate in the Paris Olympics. 

"Our athletes need to be at the Olympics. Our flag will be at the opening ceremony, at the competitions, our athletes will represent our state so that everyone in the world will see that Ukraine is, was and will be," Huttsait said. 

At the same time, he noted that if Russia and Belarus are allowed to compete in Paris under their own flags, Ukraine will boycott the Olympics. 

"If the Russian Federation and Belarus will participate under their own flag - we will not participate in this Olympics," Huttsait emphasized. 

The participation of Russians and Belarusians in the Olympics

On January 27, IOC chief Thomas Bach said he supports the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in the 2024 Olympics, despite Ukraine's threats to boycott.

On January 31, Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko said that admission of Russian and Belarusian athletes to the Olympics is "betrayal of the Olympic spirit" and a "monumental mistake". “They have a gold medal in the deportation of children and rape of women,” he pointed out.

On February 6, the Verkhovna Rada called on the IOC to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from the 2024 Games in Paris.

On February 10, a summit of 35 countries took place in the United Kingdom, calling for the banning of Russians from the 2024 Olympics, which was supported by Volodymyr Zelenskyy in his speech at the meeting.

On February 20, 34 countries supported the demand to suspend athletes from Russia and Belarus from the Olympics.

On February 21, the IOC called the European Parliament's resolution demanding the suspension of Russians and Belarusians from international competitions contrary to the mission of the Olympic Games.

On March 30, Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers decided that Ukrainian athletes would boycott tournaments featuring athletes from Russia or Belarus. 

On April 25, PACE President Tiny Kox called it unacceptable for Russians and Belarusians to participate in the 2024 Olympics because of Russia's war against Ukraine.

On June 22, the PACE adopted a resolution calling on the IOC to prevent athletes from Belarus and Russia from participating in the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris, even under a neutral flag. 

On July 26, the National Olympic Committees of the Russian Federation and Belarus did not receive an invitation from the IOC to participate in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. 

On July 27, the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine issued an order allowing Ukrainian athletes to participate in competitions where Russians and Belarusians compete in a neutral status, rather than under their own flags. Thus, Ukraine abandoned its boycott of tournaments where athletes from Russia and Belarus compete in neutral status.