International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach has sent official invitations to 203 countries to participate in the 2024 Paris Olympics, but Russia and Belarus have been excluded from the initial list, AFP reported.
Bach had previously said that Russia and its ally Belarus, which invaded Ukraine in the middle of this month, would not be invited to Paris.
The IOC has left the door open for Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals in Paris in 2024.
Bach began a three-day visit to Paris today to mark the one-year anniversary of the opening of the Games.
“It is a great honor and pleasure to welcome the world’s athletes to Paris to celebrate the 33rd Olympiad in accordance with the Olympic Charter,” he said.
Meanwhile, in addition to Russia and Belarus, Guatemala was not invited due to the current suspension of the Olympic movement due to government interference in the independence of the National Olympic Committee. 안전놀이터
