Putin questions Olympic rules for neutral Russian athletes at Paris Games
Associated PressMOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin questioned the International Olympic Committee rules mandating Russian athletes compete at the Paris Olympics as neutrals. “I’ve always said that athletes train for years and that they need to be given the opportunity to compete at the largest competitions, including the Olympic Games,” Putin said. And therefore in principle I supported our athletes going to such competitions, but now it needs to be carefully analyzed, what kind of conditions the IOC is setting out.” He expressed concern that “politically motivated artificial conditions” could be used to exclude top Russian competitors. “If the aim of this is to cut out our leaders and show that Russian sport is not developing or on the contrary is withering away, then it is necessary for the Sports Ministry and the National Olympic Committee of Russia to analyze and to take a balanced decision,” Putin said.