8-7-2023 (BANGKOK) The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has given the green light for up to 500 Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in the upcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. However, they will be competing without national symbols, and will only be allowed to participate in individual events. This decision was made to aid the athletes in their qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympics, as many sporting events have barred Russian and Belarusian competitors following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Though the athletes will not be eligible for medals at the Asian Games, the move has been welcomed by the International Olympic Committee, which outlined a roadmap in January for Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete in Paris and at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo.
However, Ukraine and several other countries have voiced their opposition to the IOC’s decision, leading international sports federations to limit the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes to “neutral” competitors.
The decision by the OCA to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in the Asian Games has been met with opposition from Ukraine, which has been leading the charge against the IOC’s decision.
The Russian Olympic Committee has also expressed its opposition to the stringent conditions imposed on their athletes’ return to competition, calling it discriminatory treatment based on nationality.
Originally scheduled for September 2021, the Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 were postponed due to Covid-19 restrictions across China. The official ticketing website for the Games opened on Saturday, with the event scheduled to take place from September 23 to October 8 this year.
