"We understand that this issue is sensitive. But the decision [on whether to grant visas to Russian athletes] is taken not by the host country. It is the IOC that will decide, and we will see what its decision will ultimately be," Legendre told to media.
The IOC’s executive committee announced last week that it might allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete in Paris under a neutral flag. Ukraine condemned the committee's position and threatened to boycott the games.
On February 28, 2022, the IOC issued a recommendation to international sports federations to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from international competitions or only allow them to compete in neutral status in response to the Russian special military operation in Ukraine.