St-Onge sees no neutral path for Russian, Belarusian athletes at Paris Olympics

By The Canadian Press on March 9, 2023.

Canada’s sport minister says the federal government does not think it’s possible for Russian or a Belarusian athletes to compete in the next Olympics.

Pascale St-Onge made the comment Thursday in response to an open letter signed by 42 retired Canadian Olympians the day before.

The letter urges the COC to not allow Russian or Belarusian athletes to compete under a neutral flag at the Paris Olympics in 2024.

Signing the statement was a who’s-who of Canadian Olympic greats and gold medallists, including Hayley Wickenheiser, Jenn Heil and Alex Bilodeau, Tessa Virtue and Beckie Scott.

Russian and Belarusian athletes were banned from international competition following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, which Belarus has supported.

St-Onge says the COC and federal government share the position that there is no reason to review the ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes because the war is still ongoing.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 9, 2023.

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