IOC seeks pathway to let Russians compete at Paris Olympics

By GRAHAM DUNBAR
AP Sports Writer

GENEVA (AP) — The IOC has made clear it wants Russians to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics as neutral athletes. That’s in defiance of Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s call to exclude Russians entirely in Paris in 18 months’ time. The International Olympic Committee cites its “unifying mission” during a time of war that no athlete should face discrimination based on just their passport. The IOC said in a statement after a board meeting that “a pathway for athletes’ participation in competition under strict conditions should therefore be further explored.”