The IOC says it will not invite Russia and Belarus to the 2024 Olympics in Paris
NPRThe IOC says it will not invite Russia and Belarus to the 2024 Olympics in Paris Enlarge this image toggle caption Matthias Schrader/AP Matthias Schrader/AP The teams from Russia and Belarus will not receive formal invitations to participate in next year's Olympic Games in Paris because of the two countries' aggression against Ukraine, the International Olympic Committee announced in a statement on Thursday. The IOC's condemnation of Russia and Belarus's participation in "the senseless war" in Ukraine was first issued in February 2022, soon after the full-scale ground invasion began. Sponsor Message The organization soon followed with this resolution: "In order to protect the integrity of global sports competitions and for the safety of all the participants, the IOC EB recommends that International Sports Federations and sports event organisers not invite or allow the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials in international competitions." More than 260 Ukrainian athletes have died since Russia's full-scale ground invasion in February 2022, Reuters reported Ukraine's sports minister Vadym Guttsait saying in April. "