ITF allow Russian and Belarusian players to play Olympic Games but with strange caveat leaving players in the dark
Tennis News
News was confirmed on Wednesday that Russian and Belarusian tennis players will be allowed to enter the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris, but as neutrals. This though has a strange caveat which means that no players currently qualify.
Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, Aryna Sabalenka and Victoria Azarenka among others will have been waiting for the verdict as to whether they can play in Paris, but to no avail until now. But with the tournament qualification being based on Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup, this means no players qualify.
Clarification will be needed with neither country currently being allowed to take part in either competition to qualify and unlike Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal in particular, it would be multiple nations seeking exemptions.
The statement reads: "The International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee will allow qualified and eligible athletes with Russian and Belarusian passports to compete at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games as Individual Neutral Athletes (Ain) and at the Paralympic Games as Neutral Paralympic Athletes (Npa).
The ITF confirms that tennis players from these nations will be able to participate in Olympic and Paralympic tennis competitions in an individual and neutral capacity if they respect the IOC's AIN and IPC's NPA principles. Neutral athletes will be required to meet the selection and eligibility requirements set out in the applicable ITF regulations.
The ITF's decision is in line with most international federations regarding individual competitions and the athletes who will participate in the games this summer. The ITF position also follows the existing international tennis policy, adopted in March 2022."
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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