The government of Ukraine has announced that its athletes will not participate in any competition where representatives from Russia and Belarus are present. This includes the upcoming 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, according to reports from Interfax Ukraine.
The decision was made at the suggestion of the Minister of Youth and Sports and President of the National Olympic Committee, Vadim Gutzeit, and has been implemented in response to the new rules of the International Olympic Committee, which allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete as individuals and under a neutral flag.
Minister Oleg Nemchinov stated that the Ukrainian government fully supports this decision and will work to ensure that Ukrainian athletes are not put in a position where they have to compete against athletes from these countries.
The boycott is a form of protest against what Ukraine sees as the ongoing aggression and occupation of its territory by Russia, as well as the recent events in Belarus.
