Medvedev and Andreeva lead Russian Olympic Games nominations for neutral status albeit with approval still needed

The nominations for those claiming neutral status at the Olympic Games when it comes to Russian players have been confirmed albeit with a caveat which could stop many in their tracks making it to Paris.

Daniil Medvedev is probably the most certain to be making it and flying the flag for Russia. The issue that has arose with many is that all still need to be cleared by the IOC and with some of the players on the proposed list having ties to the Russia-Ukraine war or companies involved in it, it could yet be denied.

“As per the IOC’s Principles of Participation for Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN), in the case of athletes with Russian and Belarusian passports, the ITF will propose a final list to the IOC, together with the criteria and reasoning used to confirm eligibility. The IOC AIN Eligibility Review Panel will review these lists for a final decision on entry," said the ITF back in April.

In particular Veronika Kudermetova who heads up the women's list alongside Mirra Andreeva. The former had a Tatneft logo on her kit which was a major source of controversy as she had to remove it to play Wimbledon last year. She was also criticized for being pictured training at CSKA in Moscow which has links to the Russian army.

"When I was young, I was practising there," she said. "It was my tennis club - when I was in Moscow I practised there, but for the moment I am not practising there.

"I don't have a contract with them, I don't have a salary from them - for the moment we are separate."

Whilst Andreeva could be in line to make her debut. But the 17-year-old has previously been seen liking content about Vladimir Putin with Dayana Yastremska asking for her to be sanctioned for her social media likes. Diana Shnaider similarly and has previously insisted she is a patriot amid the fact she has to play under a neutral banner. Others included are Roman Safiullin, Pavel Kotov and Aslan Karatsev on the men's side. Andrey Rublev is instead going to recover after his throat issues from Madrid.

Whilst Ekaterina Alexandrova is the other WTA player on the team. All of these will need to be cleared by the IOC and make the ranking cut. Aryna Sabalenka was the other big miss on the neutral side with the World No.2 deciding against playing the Olympic Games and would've been under the same banner as the Russian stars. Daria Kasatkina, Liudmila Samsonova and Karen Khachanov all will not play either. A doubles partnership in mixed between Mirra Andreeva and Daniil Medvedev has also been mooted with all four Russians sharing the medals last time albeit only Karatsev returns from that tandem that also featured Elena Vesnina.