An influential Olympic official has said athletes from Russia and Belarus may not be allowed to compete at the Paris 2024 Games over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
"A decision is going to have to be taken on what happens to each of these two countries, and my guess is that the general feeling would be that they should not qualify," senior International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Craig Reedie was quoted by British media as saying on July 12.
In February, the IOC issued guidance to sports governing bodies to remove athletes of the two countries from competition.
While not a direct participant in the war, Minsk has provided Moscow with logistical support in its invasion, with many Russian troops crossing the border into Ukraine from Belarus.
"Most people are struggling with how we could achieve some degree of representation, but at the moment, there is no clear way to do it. Therefore, you maintain the status quo," said Reedie, who was president of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) when it investigated Russian doping.
The Russian doping scandal, involving revelations of a state-backed system across many sports, following the Sochi 2014 Olympics led to Russian athletes competing as neutrals in subsequent Olympics as part of IOC sanctions.
Reedie was a former IOC vice president and has been a member of the IOC for more than 30 years.
