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French president Emmanuel Macron insisted Wednesday that “the Russian flag cannot be at the Paris Olympic Games… at a time when Russia is committing war crimes”.<\/p>\n
Quizzed on the possible presence of Russian athletes in Paris competing as neutrals, Macron added: “I hope that this is a decision of conscience in the Olympic world. It is not the host state which must decide what the International Olympic Committee (IOC) should do.”<\/p>\n
He added to sports daily L’Equipe: “I have total confidence in Thomas Bach (the IOC president)”.<\/p>\n
Athletes from Russia and Belarus have faced sanctions from a multitude of sports since Russia invaded Ukraine in February of 2022.<\/p>\n
Despite the ongoing war, the IOC has recommended allowing athletes from Russia and Moscow ally Belarus to compete as individual neutrals in international competitions.<\/p>\n
Those allowed to reintegrate into world sport must satisfy certain conditions.<\/p>\n
These include competing under a neutral flag and proving that they have not actively supported the war in Ukraine.<\/p>\n
“Obviously, there cannot be the Russian flag at the Paris Games, I think there is consensus,” Macron added in his interview with L’Equipe.<\/p>\n
“There is no place for Russia as a country at a time when it has committed war crimes, when it has deported children.”<\/p>\n
“The real question that the Olympic world will have to decide is what place to give to these Russian athletes who sometimes have prepared for a lifetime, and can also be the victims of this regime.”<\/p>\n
However, Macron pondered how to differentiate between those Russian athletes who are accomplices and those who are victims of the regime.<\/p>\n
“This is the real question,” he added.<\/p>\n
The IOC must, he said, make a decision that is fair and understood by Ukrainians.<\/p>\n
“This is the balancing act that we will have to carry out.”<\/p>\n
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)<\/i><\/p>\n