Macron seeks Olympic truce and supports neutral participation of Russian athletes in Paris Games
French President Emmanuel Macron has expressed hope that hostilities in Russia's war against Ukraine and other military conflicts, particularly in the Middle East and Sudan, will cease during the Paris Olympic Games. In an interview with French media on Monday, April 15, Macron stated his commitment to "do everything possible to obtain an Olympic truce" for the upcoming Summer Games.
"We want to work on an Olympic truce, and I think this is an opportunity for me to engage with many of our partners," he said, adding that he intends to request Chinese President Xi Jinping to utilize his influence on this matter. "The leader of China will be coming to Paris in a few weeks, and I am going to ask for his help," he noted.
Meanwhile, in an interview marking 100 days before the 2024 Olympics, Macron backed the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) decision to allow Russian athletes to compete under a neutral status, describing it as "proportionate and fair." "Russia is not invited, its leader cannot be invited, but athletes, without an anthem or flags, will be able to compete," he stated.
Earlier, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo opposed the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes at the upcoming Olympic Games. According to the IOC, about 40 Russian athletes could compete in the Paris Olympics. The final decision on this will be made by the international federations. However, the IOC has forbidden Russians and Belarusians from participating in the athletes' parade.
The Paris Summer Olympics are scheduled to take place from July 26 to August 11.