Russian and Belarusian athletes will be allowed to participate in this year’s Asian Games despite Russia’s war in Ukraine, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) said on January 26.
The International Olympic Committee indicated Wednesday that it favors officially neutral teams from Russia and its ally Belarus at the 2024 Olympics despite a plea from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to exclude them entirely.
A day later, Russia and Belarus were invited to compete at the Asian Games by Olympic Council of Asia .
“The OCA believes in the unifying power of sport and that all athletes, regardless of their nationality or the passport they hold, should be able to compete in sports competitions. The OCA has offered to give eligible Russian and Belarusian athletes the opportunity to take part in competitions in Asia, including the Asian Games.
The OCA remains on standby as the IOC continues to explore with International Federations the pathway for the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes’ participation in competition under strict conditions.” the OCA said in a statement.
