The International Olympic Committee will not send Russia and Belarus an invitation to the 2024 Olympic Games.

 This was reported by the press service of the IOC.

 "Invitations will be sent to 203 National Olympic Committees that have the right to participate on July 26, 2023. This will not apply to the NOCs of Russia and Belarus," the message reads.

 According to the IOC, the decision was made in connection with the sanctions imposed by the IOC on Russian and Belarusian sports due to the invasion of Ukraine.

 Also, the IOC will not send an invitation to the NOC of Guatemala, which is currently suspended from participating in the Olympic Games.

 Russians and Belarusians in international sports

 It will be recalled that the International Olympic Committee introduced sanctions against Russians and Belarusians after the start of a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. But already this year, the International Olympic Committee called to admit representatives of the Russian Federation and Belarus to the competition in a neutral status, provided that they were not seen actively supporting the war in Ukraine.

 Ukraine reacted harshly to such an absurd step - they invited the head of the IOC, Thomas Bach, to visit Bakhmut and reminded of the large number of dead Ukrainian athletes during the war.

 Later, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe adopted a resolution calling on the International Olympic Committee not to allow Russians and Belarusians to the Olympics.

 The document notes that the admission of Russians and Belarusians to sports competitions is impossible even "in a neutral format" - without flags and the anthem.