INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
perform at the Olympic Games in Paris," Vadim Ivanov, Russia's taekwondo head coach told the state-run RIA Novosti news agency.Ukraine's
Sports Minister Matvii Bidnyi welcomed the absence of "outspoken propagandists" from the Games."The IOC listened to our evidence, which we,
together with the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine and sports federations, submitted to the IOC," he said."We are very grateful for the
help of investigative journalists and colleagues from the relevant government agencies in finding and verifying the evidence," Bidnyi
added.After initially banning the two countries' athletes from world sport following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the IOC
adjusted their regulations to allow their participation under a neutral banner, subject to strict conditions and excluding team events.Last
March, the IOC said it was expecting 36 Russians and 22 Belarussians at the Paris Games "according to the most probable scenario," and a
"maximum" of 55 and 28 respectively.That would be far fewer than the 330 Russians and 104 Belarusians that took part in the last Games in
Tokyo in 2021.The IOC will update its list as the final qualifying results come in.There will be no track and field athletes
World Athletics has banned all Russians and Belarusians.Other sports have reinstated them so late that their presence is
uncertain.Meanwhile, Russian Tennis Federation chief Shamil Tarpishev told TASS that Andrei Rublev, Karen Khachanov and Liudmila Samsonova
"will not play at the Olympics."Opening ceremonyOn Friday, Yuliya Efimova, who has three Olympic breaststroke medals, became the first
Russian swimmer to be granted neutral status for the Games although she has not yet swum a qualifying time
She also said she did not yet have a visa to travel to France.While Moscow has finally decided not to boycott the Paris Games, some athletes
Russia's gymnasts have said they will refuse to take part.The neutral athletes will neither take part in the opening ceremony on the Seine
nor appear in the official medal table.In March, the IOC awarded them a dedicated flag, stamped with the letters "AIN" on an apple-green
background, as well as a short composition without words, which will serve as their anthem if they win an Olympic title.At the same time,
"has been able to benefit from new information from various sources, in particular official lists of athletes affiliated to sports clubs of
the armed and security forces, published on official websites in Russia and Belarus," said the IOC.
