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Olympics Chief: Palestinian Athletes to Compete in Paris Olympics 2024

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Chief Thomas Bach announced that up to eight Palestinian athletes are anticipated to compete in the forthcoming Paris Olympics, in an interview at IOC headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Bach confirmed that from six to eight Palestinian athletes would receive invitation to participate in at the Paris Olympics, regardless of whether they qualify through traditional means or not.

Highlighting the Committee’s support for Palestinian athletes, he assured that even if they do not secure any qualification through the standard competitive process, they will be able to participate.

This statement comes amidst ongoing qualification events for the Games, scheduled to commence on July 26

During the interview, Bach stated that the IOC “from day one of the conflict” in Gaza had “supported in many different ways the athletes to allow them to take part in qualifications and to continue their training.”

Olympics Chief: Palestinian Athletes to Compete in Paris Olympics 2024

Furthermore, he denied the widespread allegations that the committee has treated Russia differently over its invasion of Ukraine, remarking that the situations between Israel and Palestine and Russia and Ukraine are not the same.

He noted that Russia was suspended from many international sports after its invasion and its athletes have been banned from competing under the national flag at Paris 2024.

These sanctions were consequences of Moscow violating the “Olympic truce” by invading Ukraine soon after the Winter Olympics in Beijing in 2022.

Russian athletes are permitted to participate in the Paris Games after meeting two necessary requirements; the athlete should have never publicly supported the war against Ukraine and should not be employed by the military or security services.

Bach mentioned that he had been objective and unbiased in his public statements on Ukraine, the Hamas attack on Israel, and the “horrifying consequences” of the war in Gaza.

“We have always been very clear as we have been with the Russian invasion in Ukraine,” he added. “From day one, we expressed how horrified we were, first on the seventh of October and then about the war and its horrifying consequences,” Bach explained.

It is noteworthy that the Summer Olympics will run from July 26 to August 11, with the participation of 10,500 athletes competing in 329 events. The Paralympics will start from August 28 to September 8, with 4,400 athletes competing in 549 events.

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