We need to explore ways to overcome this dilemma.. to come back to sporting merits and not to political interference.

Bach said, however, that “there is no fixed date” for their return, he said of Russia and belorus, excluded since the end of February due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

He added that the ban on using Russian and Belarusian flags and holding competitions on their soil will be maintained, but considered that athletes are in no way held responsible for the actions of their rulers.

We have had to act against our own values, doing what we have never done before and what we never wanted to do, i.e. preventing sportsmen from participating in competitions solely because of their passports.

pll/mgt/lp