MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 02nd April, 2023) Andriy Yermak, the head of the Ukrainian president's office, said that he had urged International Gymnastics Federation President Morinari Watanabe to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from participating in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
In March, the executive committee of the International Olympic Committee issued a recommendation for international sports federations to allow Russian athletes compete under the neutral status, provided that they do not support Russia's special military operation in Ukraine.
"Held a meeting with International Gymnastics Federation President Morinari Watanabe ... Called on Morinari Watanabe to support the initiative to ban the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in the 2024 Olympics," Yermak said in a statement published late Saturday.
Watanabe, in turn, noted that he is a "friend of Ukraine and Ukrainian gymnastics."
On Friday, Minister of the Ukrainian Cabinet Oleh Nemchinov, a member of the executive committee of the National Olympic Committee, announced that the government had decided to ban Ukrainian athletes from participating in qualifying competitions for the 2024 Summer Olympics alongside Russian athletes.
