LAUSANNE: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has committed to including Palestinian athletes in the upcoming Paris Olympics, even if they don’t meet qualification standards. IOC President Thomas Bach expects a delegation of six to eight athletes, extending invitations to those who don’t qualify.
Qualification events for the Paris Games, starting July 26, are still in progress, but the IOC will ensure Palestinian participation regardless of outcomes. This follows their usual policy of inviting National Olympic Committees that lack qualified athletes.
Bach emphasized the IOC’s continuous support for Palestinian athletes. “Since the Gaza conflict began, we have provided them with various resources to help them participate in qualifiers and continue their training,” he stated.
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The interview also explored the IOC’s differing responses to the Russia-Ukraine war and the Israel-Palestine conflict. In response to Russia’s violation of the Olympic Truce by invading Ukraine, the IOC imposed severe sanctions, including athlete bans and prohibiting the national flag at Paris 2024.
Bach noted distinct differences in the situations, maintaining balance in his public statements by condemning both the Hamas attack on Israel and the severe impacts of the Gaza conflict. “Our condemnation was immediate and firm, as it was with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,” he concluded.
