Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused the International Olympic Committee (IOC) of trying to bury the Olympic movement by imposing rules on Russian athletes for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
Last week, the IOC said Russian and Belarusian athletes who qualify in their sport for the Paris Games can take part as neutrals without flags, emblems or anthems.
Russians and Belarusians had initially been banned from competing internationally following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year, for which Belarus has been used as a staging ground.
“If they continue to act this way, they will bury the Olympic movement,” Putin said on Thursday.
While he promised to support Russians competing in Paris, he said his country should ponder whether it should compete if the event is designed to portray Russian sport as “dying” and not give a clear answer if Russian athletes should go to Paris.
