by Paris will host next year’s Olympic Games. This will be the third time the French capital has hosted the Summer Games, but the most recent edition in the city was exactly 100 years ago, in 1924.
World Athletics is standing by its ban of all Russian and Belarusian athletes from the biggest Olympic sport of all, despite the International Olympic Committee clearing their participation.
The IOC confirmed on Friday that governing bodies could allow neutral athletes from these countries, subject to certain conditions, amid Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
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When will Paris 2024 take place?
The 33rd Summer Olympics – or formally, the XXXIII Olympiad Games – will take place from Friday 26th July, 2024 to Sunday 11th August. As usual, the official Opening Ceremony will take place on Friday 26 July.
More than 10,000 athletes from 206 nations are expected to take part in 329 events, representing more than 28 sports.
What is the latest news?
By Jeremy Wilson
World Athletics standing by its ban of all Russian and Belarusian athletes from the biggest Olympic sport of all, despite the International Olympic Committee clearing their participation.
The IOC confirmed on Friday that governing bodies could allow neutral athletes from these countries, subject to certain conditions, amid Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
In explaining its decision, the IOC noted that athletes from those countries had competed under strict neutrality conditions in certain qualifying events in recent months “largely without incident”.
However, the Russians and Belarusians were not allowed during the World Athletics Championships in August and sports president Sebastian Coe, who has not ruled himself out as the next IOC president, stressed that they would not competing in Paris.
“We have a fixed position,” said Coe, after a meeting of the World Athletics Council in Monaco on Friday.
“That position has not changed, and I think it is right that international federations make judgments that they consider to be in the best interest of their sport. That is what our council has done.
“You might see some neutral athletes from Russia and Belarus in Paris. They will not be in athletics.
“There is no change in the position that our sport has taken, and has taken consistently. It is a fixed position.”
It is a position also shared by the British Government, which has consistently opposed the inclusion of any Russian and Belarusian athletes next summer.
The IOC highlighted that there are currently many conflicts around the globe and argued, mainly on human rights grounds, that sport should not issue a total ban on individual athletes because of their nationality and government actions.
An IOC statement on Friday confirmed that qualified neutral athletes could compete next summer, but outlined their eligibility criteria. This includes allowing only individual athletes and not Russian teams, flags or emblems.
Athletes and support personnel who actively support the war in Ukraine must also remain barred, as must any athlete or support staff contracted to the military or security agencies of Russia or Belarus.
All athletes, support personnel and officials from Russia and Belarus are currently excluded from all World Athletics League events and from hosting any international or European athletics events.
Only 11 out of more than 4,500 athletes are currently qualified from Russia or Belarus.
Critics of the IOC’s position argue that it is almost impossible to verify possible links between athletes and the Russian state or military. Ukraine is threatening to boycott the Olympics if Russian and Belarusian athletes compete even as neutrals next summer.
Which venues will be included and which sports?
Grand Paris zone
Stade de France – Opening and closing ceremonies, rugby and athletics
Stade Olympique Colombes Yves-du-Manoir – Hockey
Arena 92 – Swimming, water polo
Arena La Chapelle – Badminton, gymnastics
Saint Denis – Water polo, diving, artistic swimming
By Borget – Shooting, climbing sports
Central Paris zone
Parc des Princes – Football
Stade Roland Garros – Boxing, tennis
Porte de Versailles in Paris – indoor volleyball, basketball, table tennis, weightlifting
Paris-Bercy Arena – Artistic gymnastics and trampoline, basketball
Place de la Concorde – 3×3 basketball, break dancing, BMX freestyle, skateboarding
Pont d’Iena – Swimming marathon, marathon, race walk, cycling road race and time trial, triathlon
Champ de Mars – beach volleyball
Grand Palais Éphémère – Judo, wrestling
Les Invalides – Archery
Versailles zone
Château de Versailles – Equestrian, modern pentathlon
With National Golf – Golf
Elancourt Hill – Mountain biking
Velodrome of Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines – Track cycling, BMX, modern pentathlon (fencing)
Outside
Lille, Stade Pierre-Mauroy – Handball
Vaires-sur-Marne, Île-de-France National Olympic Stadium – Rowing, Canoeing
Marseilles, Stade Vélodrome – Football
Lyon, Lyonnais Olympic Park – Football
Paris, Princes Park – Football
Bordeaux, Stade Matmut Atlantique – Football
Nice, Allianz Riviera – Football
Nantes, Stade de la Beaujoire – Football
Marseilles, Port de la Pointe Rouge – Sailing
Tahiti, French Polynesia, Teahupoo Debarcadere – Surfing
