The International Olympic Committee’s plan to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete at Paris 2024 has been condemned by Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan.
She said the move was a “world away from the reality of war”.
On Wednesday, the IOC said it would “explore a pathway” for Russian and Belarusian athletes’ participation.
The IOC previously asked sporting federations to exclude athletes from the countries following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year. However, Wednesday’s statement said “no athlete should be prevented from competing just because of their passport”.