Macron rules out the possibility of a Russian flag at the Paris Olympics

The chances of Russian athletes participating in next year's Olympic Games are diminishing day by day. French President Emmanuel Macron declared in an interview with the L'Equipe newspaper that there could not be "a Russian flag at the Paris Olympics" because Russia "has no place at a moment when it has committed war crimes."

When asked about the potential presence of Russian athletes at the 2024 Summer Olympics, the head of state responded, "I hope it will be a conscious decision of the Olympic world (...) it is not the host country's competence to decide what the IOC should do (...) I have full confidence in Thomas Bach, the President of the International Olympic Committee." President Macron also expressed hope that "the Ukrainians will share this opinion." He further stated, "Clearly, there cannot be a Russian flag at the Paris Games; I believe there is a consensus on this because Russia, as a country, has no place when it has committed war crimes and deported children." He continued, "The real question that the Olympic world will have to decide is what place should be given to these Russian athletes who have trained their whole lives and can also be victims of this regime." "But how can we distinguish between Russian athletes who are complicit and victims of the regime? That is the real question, and here, the Olympic world must, with full knowledge, give its opinion and provide guarantees. This is the balance we must strike." There is tremendous pressure on the IOC at this moment, with Russian athletes from various disciplines having zero chances of reaching Paris.