Russian, Belarusian athletes allowed at Asian Games
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One of the world’s biggest multi-sport events, the Asian Games typically attract more than 10,000 athletes from across the continent.
PHOTO: AFP
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BANGKOK – Up to 500 Russian and Belarusian athletes will be allowed to compete as neutrals at the Asian Games in China later in 2023, the organisers said on Saturday.
Both countries have been excluded from many sports events since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022,
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) earlier in 2023 said that a pathway for their athletes’ participation in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games should be explored.
In January, Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) acting president Randhir Singh said: “They won’t interfere in our medal system or Asian quota for the Olympic Games.”
At a meeting in Bangkok on Saturday, the general assembly of the OCA voted to allow a maximum of 500 competitors from the pariah countries to compete, so that they may try and qualify for Paris.
“We propose to allow Russian and Belarusian independent athletes – again, independent athletes; 500 the quota – to compete in neutral flag as independent athletes,” said OCA director-general Husain Al-Musallam, before the assembly passed the motion.
He added that no politician from Russia or Belarus would be invited to the Games – which kick off in Hangzhou on Sept 23 – and no symbols of either nation would be allowed.
The athletes also would not be in medal contention.
The assembly also elected Kuwait’s Sheikh Talal Fahad Al-Sabah as OCA president.
One of the world’s biggest multi-sport events, the Asian Games typically attract more than 10,000 athletes from across the continent. The Hangzhou edition was due to take place in September 2022, but was postponed by a year
Russian and Belarusian involvement at major events has met opposition in Europe, most vocally from Ukraine.
The IOC has made clear that such neutral participation will apply only to individuals, not team sports.
Meanwhile, the Chinese city of Harbin will host the ninth edition of the Asian Winter Games in 2025,
The northern city, having been unanimously approved by the general assembly, will host the Games for the second time, following the third edition in 1996.
It will be the third time that China has hosted the Games, which were held in Changchun in 2007.
Trojena in Saudi Arabia will host the Games in 2029.
AFP, REUTERS
