15 Russian athletes at the Olympics deemed as ‘neutrals’ are politically isolated and rarely in the spotlight

Fifteen Russian athletes are competing in the Paris Olympics under the status of “Individual Neutral Athletes” following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This has created a complex environment for the athletes, with some in the Olympic Village opposing their participation and Russian opinion divided. The Olympics are not being shown on TV in Russia, and some politicians and media figures have even described those competing as traitors. Despite this, athletes like Diana Shnaider and Mirra Andreeva won silver in women’s doubles tennis, becoming the first Russians to win a medal at the Paris Olympics. The Ukrainian government and Olympic committee initially wanted Russian athletes excluded from international sports but changed their policy out of fear of not being represented at the Olympics. Activists closely monitored Russian athletes’ social media for any signs of support for the war in Ukraine. Some athletes who initially accepted their Olympic invitations withdrew before the Games began, including 10 Russians and one Belarusian. Amidst all this controversy, Ukrainian gold-medallist high jumper Yaroslava Mahuchich criticized the presence of neutral athletes, asking how a “terrorist” could be allowed to compete in a competition about peace. The Tokyo Olympics had more than 300 Russian athletes, but in Paris, there are only 15 competing under an uncertain status. This year, at least 82 athletes competing were born in Russia, including the neutral athletes, while others have lived outside Russia for years or switched their sporting allegiance in response to recent events.

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