The Washington PostThe Washington Post

Olympic sports have a Russia dilemma. 'Neutrality' is a cop-out

By John Feinstein

12 Sep 2023 · 4 min read

informed Summary

  1. The World Aquatics Bureau has announced that athletes from Russia and Belarus will be allowed to compete in international events — including the 2024 Paris Olympics— but only as "neutrals". This decision has been criticised as a cop-out by many athletic governing bodies since Russia invaded Ukraine.

It was a two-paragraph squib last week in many places: The World Aquatics Bureau announced that athletes from Russia and Belarus would be allowed to compete in international events - including the 2024 Paris Olympics - but only as "neutrals."

Oh, please.

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