With the Paris Olympics 18 months away, the debate over Russian athletes is back
Shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine last February, the International Olympic Committee recommended bans on Russian athletes. Now, the IOC has reversed course, to the protest of Ukrainian officials.
With over a year to go before the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, a deeply political question already looms over the event: whether to allow Russian athletes to compete amid their country's invasion of Ukraine.
Over nearly a year, the Russian bombardment of Ukraine has destroyed hospitals, schools and homes. The attacks have disrupted access to heat and water with intentional attacks on utility infrastructure. The that more than 7,000 civilians have been killed, hundreds of them children. Human rights groups have documented, including torture, sexual assault and executions.
