From Ukraine to Gaza: The geopolitics lurking in Paris in 2024

How can the Olympics be affected by international conflicts when the Olympic Charter prohibits all “political propaganda” on the field and on the podium, but it is permitted in Olympic cities and at press conferences?

“Neutral” Russians

Russian invasion Ukraine With the support of… BelarusThe events of February 2022 made it seem impossible for athletes from three nationalities to coexist in Paris: Russians and Belarusians were expelled from world sporting events until March 2023, and Ukrainians have threatened to boycott the Olympics if they attend.

However, after Kiev abandoned this stance in the summer of 2023, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) organized the gradual reintegration of Russians and Belarusians into international competitions under strict conditions: they participated in their personal capacity as white flags, while not “actively participating in supporting the war in Ukraine” and not being employed by the Russian military or security agencies.

been: Russians in Paris 2024? Kiev threatens boycott, other countries oppose

The IOC had banned them from parading along the Seine during the opening ceremony but has so far cleared 28 Russian and 19 Belarusian athletes to compete., in nine subjects.

In any case, this is minimal participation compared to the 330 Russians and 104 Belarusians who will compete in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

These “neutral athletes” will be under constant monitoring: any support for the war in Ukraine could lead to “immediate expulsion from the Olympic Games,” the IOC president warned. Thomas Bach.

Palestinians seek a platform

Since last fall, the IOC has sought to distance itself from Israel’s war in Gaza and support a two-state solution, as the Palestinian and Israeli national Olympic committees have coexisted since 1995 thanks to the Oslo Accords.

Thus, according to the National Committee, despite the Israeli bombing of Gaza, which destroyed key Palestinian sports infrastructure and killed Palestinian journalists, the possibility of Israeli athletes competing under a neutral flag was never discussed.

been: Palestinian Authority requests participation in ICJ genocide trial against Israel

“Paris is a historic and important moment for us to tell the world: enough is enough, too much,” the president of the Palestinian Olympic Committee declared in mid-June. Jibril Rajoub.

Israel is in danger Security measures have been similar for every Olympic Games since the Munich hostage crisis in 1972: For now, the delegation plans to “participate in the opening ceremony like all other teams,” according to the IOC.

Afghanistan without the Taliban

In the summer of 2021, the Taliban’s return to power in Kabul has presented sports bodies with a dilemma: how to balance dialogue and pressure to help athletes and their entourages in exile or at home, while not supporting the Taliban’s ban on women’s sports?

In mid-June, the IOC announced that it had secured an Afghan team of three men (athletics, swimming and judo) and three women (athletics and cycling) for the Paris Games, but did not reveal their identities. The director-general of the Afghan Olympic Committee explained that, with the exception of the judokas, everyone lived abroad. Father Mohammad Payanda Akhtari.

been: Taliban government confirms Afghan women’s rights are an internal issue

“Due to the suspension of the women’s movement in Afghanistan,” the three women “will not be sent out of the country,” he explained.

On the other hand, an IOC spokesperson said Mark Adamsdeclared that the Olympics “will set a very strong symbol for the world and for Afghanistan.”

Afghanistan is the third country with the largest number of exiles in the world. The Olympic refugee team will have five representatives, including the captain, cyclist Masouma Ali Zada.

The young woman plans to encourage her compatriots under the Afghan flag: “I am very happy that three Afghan women are participating in the Olympics and that they are participating on equal terms with men,” she told AFP.