French President Emmanuel Macron opposes the presence of the Russian flag at Paris Olympics Games

A Shocking Decision: Russia Banned from the Paris Olympics

In an unexpected turn of events, French President Emmanuel Macron has declared that Russia will not be allowed to participate in the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics. Furthermore, he emphasized that no Russian flag should be flown during the Games due to alleged war crimes and child deportations committed by the country.

Macron expressed concern for Russian athletes who have dedicated their lives to their sport and could potentially become victims of their regime’s actions. He acknowledged that these athletes may hold differing views on the ongoing conflict.

The French president firmly stated that discussions about the participation of Russian athletes must take place within “the Olympic world,” involving Ukraine as a key player in this dialogue. However, he highlighted that ultimately, it would be up to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to make a final decision.

The IOC previously announced controversial measures allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete in international events despite Ukraine’s invasion. For now, no official verdict has been reached regarding Russian and Belarusian participation at the forthcoming Olympics.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal raised concerns about Russia and Belarus being allowed to complete at the Games. He asserted his country’s readiness to boycott if such participation were permitted:

“We are prepared to boycott the Olympic Games in Paris if both Russia and Belarus are given permission to compete. We expect a decisive move from IOC removing aggressors from this prestigious event.”