However, athletes will be given the chance to watch the ceremony on the Seine River. The committee will decide later whether athletes will be able to attend the closing ceremony on August 11.
Other restrictions on Russian and Belarusian athletes
Other restrictions apply to Russian and Belarusian athletes who can take part in the races. They will not be allowed to compete under the flags of their home countries, but under a neutral flag. Their national anthems will also not be played in Paris if they win medals. All national symbols of these countries are banned from being carried in the Olympic stadiums.
In addition, athletes from these countries will not be able to participate in the games as a team, only individual athletes will be allowed to compete. The medals won by Russian and Belarusian athletes will not be included in the medal table, which lists the countries' total wins.
Earlier this month, organizers announced that Russian and Belarusian athletes will compete in the Paralympic Summer Olympic Games for athletes with disabilities, which will follow the Summer Olympic Games in Paris, but will not be able to attend the opening ceremony.
Security measures in place
A separate security procedure is also in place for Russian and Belarusian athletes. The athletes have been vetted by the relevant agencies to ensure that they have no links to any military or security organizations. Athletes coming to Paris must not have actively supported the war in Ukraine.
A three-person review commission set up by the Olympic Committee is being asked to ensure that the athletes comply with the conditions. It is reported that 36 Russian and 22 Belarusian athletes have fulfilled these conditions.
Russian Olympic Committee President Stanislaw Posdnyakov said the restrictions were "illegal, unjust and unacceptable" and called on Russians to boycott the Olympics. Ukraine, on the other hand, opposes the participation of Russian athletes, even under limited conditions, for fear of a propaganda campaign.
