OREANDA-NEWS The Swiss Federal Council has been opposing the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in international sports competitions since March 2022, but their participation in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris remains with the IOC, according to the published answer to the relevant question of the Swiss deputy on the website of the country's parliament.

These answers follow questions asked in May by Swiss MP Natalie Imboden about the position of the Swiss government regarding the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024.

"The Federal Council condemns in the strongest terms Russia's military aggression against Ukraine, which is a serious violation of international law. Switzerland also condemns Belarus' participation in Russian military aggression. In this context, Switzerland also signed in March 2022, through the head of the DDPS (Ministry of Defense – ed.) Viola Amherd, an international declaration from more than 30 states, which called for the exclusion of athletes representing Russia and Belarus from all international sports competitions," the document says.

However, the authorities add that it is within the competence of the IOC and international sports federations, and not the Swiss government, to establish and determine the conditions for the participation of athletes in international competitions.

"It will also concern the participation or non-participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes as "neutral" at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris," the response emphasizes.