The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has extended invitations to eight top Russian tennis players and two from Belarus to compete as neutral athletes at the Paris Olympics. This decision comes in response to the ongoing vetting process to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to participate with neutral status in individual sports during the invasion of Ukraine.
Among the Russian male players invited are Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, Karen Khachanov, and Roman Safiullin. On the women’s side, Daria Kasatkina, Liudmila Samsonova, Ekaterina Aleksandrova, and Mirra Andreeva have also received invitations to compete in the Olympic tournament at Roland Garros from July 27 to August 4.
However, some athletes have already declined the anticipated offer, citing various reasons such as avoiding surface changes from grass at Wimbledon to clay at the Olympics and then to hard courts in August ahead of the U.S. Open. Among those who declined are Aryna Sabalenka and Andrey Rublev, with Sabalenka expressing her decision to skip the Olympics in order to maintain a consistent playing surface leading up to the U.S. Open.
The IOC’s decision to extend neutral invitations to Russian and Belarusian athletes is part of the organization’s efforts to ensure that individuals with ties to the Russian invasion or state security services are not allowed to compete in the Olympics. Both Russia and Belarus have already been excluded from team sports at the Paris Games, and the vetting process is ongoing to determine the eligibility of athletes in various sports.
Earlier this month, the IOC announced that a group of athletes from Russia and Belarus had been deemed eligible and invited to compete in cycling, weightlifting, wrestling, rowing, and shooting, with some invitations already being declined. The vetting process aims to prevent athletes who have expressed support for the Russian invasion or have connections to sports clubs linked to the military or state security services from participating in the Olympics.
As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how many Russian athletes will ultimately compete in the Paris Olympics. The IOC has already announced that Russian athletes who do take part in the Games will be barred from participating in the opening ceremony parade of athletes scheduled to take place along the River Seine.
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