U.N. expert advising Olympics Committee gives views on Russia participating at Olympics

Ukraine and sports officials want the International Olympic Committee to ban all Russians from the 2024 Paris Games

Russian athletes who have actively served in the military invasion of Ukraine should be allowed to return to international sports if they did not take part in war crimes, according to a United Nations expert advising the International Olympic Committee.

The U.N. special rapporteur for cultural rights, Alexandra Xanthaki, said late on March 26 only Russian military members implicated in “allegations of war crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity or propaganda for war” should be denied neutral status to compete in international sports ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Ms. Xanthaki angered Ukrainian athletes who took part in an IOC-hosted call to consult them ahead of an Olympic announcement due on Tuesday to update guidance for sports bodies 16 months before the opening of the Paris Games.

Ukrainian Government and sports officials want the IOC to ban all Russians from the 2024 Games and claim most of the country’s recent Olympic medalists were affiliated with the military.

Mr. Xanthaki wrote on her official Twitter account on Sunday her view that “an athlete who has participated in war would be included” for neutral status to compete in sports without national symbols such as flags and anthems.

The Greek lawyer later clarified it was usual that “men all around the world are conscripted to take part in wars” and have to follow orders, including killing. She also referred to “illegal aggressive” conflicts in Syria, Afghanistan, Israel and Iraq.

“We cannot hold all men who participate in illegal wars by their states following orders responsible. Those who perform crimes, we must,” Ms. Xanthaki wrote.