The International Olympic Committee (IOM) announced on Tuesday that Russian and Belarusian athletes competing under a neutral flag in the Paris Games this summer will not take part in the opening ceremony.
Individual Neutral Athletes (AINs) will be on-site as passengers in the boat parade scheduled to go down the River Seine this July.
The IOC suspended Russia from the 2024 Games in December but allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals if they do not actively support the war in Ukraine.
Athletes from Russia and Belarus have faced sanctions from numerous sports since Moscow began its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Many Olympic sports have lightened restrictions over the past year to allow athletes from both countries to compete under conditions.
IOC director James Macleod said it was likely 36 Russian citizens and 22 Belarusian citizens will qualify for the Olympic Games as AINs.
AINs will have their own flag and an anthem with no lyrics, while medals won by AINs will not be shown at the overall medal table.
There will be no flag, anthem, colors, or identifications from Russia or Belarus displayed at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, the IOC said.
The situation, according to McLeod, is similar to the 1992 Barcelona Games when athletes from the former Yugoslavia competed as “Independent Olympic Participants.”
