Despite the severe restrictions imposed on their athletes due to the war in Ukraine, Russia must not boycott this year’s Summer Olympics in Paris.

The statement dismissed months of speculation about Russia’s response to the drastic conditions set by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in early December for the participation of Russians and Belarusians in the Olympics. The IOC not only requires athletes from these countries to compete under a neutral flag, but also added an unprecedented set of criteria that they must meet. Russian and Belarusian athletes will only be able to compete as individuals, while at the same time they may not actively they support the Russian offensive in Ukraine, and in addition they will have to go through qualifications.

Russia considered this treatment to be “humiliating” and “discriminatory”, and President Vladimir Putin has been restrained for several months regarding the participation of athletes from this country in the Olympic Games in Paris.