Ukraine to compete at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris even if Russian athletes participate under a neutral flag

Ukrainian athletes will compete at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris even if Russian athletes take part.

Minister of Youth and Sports Vadym Huttsait said this in an interview with the Japanese media outlet Kyodo News.

"Our athletes need to be at the Olympics. Our flag will be at the opening ceremony, at the competitions, our athletes will represent our state so that everyone in the world will see that Ukraine is, was, and will be," Huttsait said.

He also stressed that Ukraine would refuse to participate in the Olympics if Russia and Belarus compete under their own flags.

The Minister said that 340 Ukrainian athletes and coaches have been killed since the start of the full-scale invasion, and 343 sports facilities have been partially or completely destroyed.

"It is difficult psychologically... [Every] athlete has had friends, or relatives, or parents, or members of their team [who died in this war — ed.]," added Vadym Huttsait.

Earlier, Ukraine considered refusing to participate if Russian and Belarusian athletes were allowed to compete even under a neutral flag.

Photo: Christophe Simon/Agence France-Presse