French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday that the Russian national flag should not be displayed at the upcoming Paris Olympics in 2024. This decision, he alleged, is due to Russia's involvement in war crimes and the deportation of children, actions that have drawn international condemnation.

In an interview with the French sports daily L'Equipe, President Macron firmly expressed his position, saying, "Of course, there can be no Russian flag during the Paris Games. I think there is a consensus on that matter because Russia, as a country, is not welcome at a time when it has committed war crimes and deported children."

Macron also emphasized that the responsibility for determining the participation of Russian athletes should lie with the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

He urged that the issue should not be politicized, highlighting the importance of maintaining the Olympic spirit of fair competition and unity among nations.

The French President's comments come as Ukraine has voiced its concerns about the presence of Russian and Belarusian athletes at the Paris Olympics.

Ukraine has even threatened to boycott the Games unless these athletes compete under a neutral flag rather than displaying their national colors.

President Macron acknowledged the complexities of the situation and stated, "The real question, that the Olympic organization should decide upon, is what place can be given to the Russian athletes."

He went on to stress the importance of including Ukrainian representation in IOC meetings to ensure their perspective is considered in the decision-making process.

Ukrainian athletes have been grappling with their nation's blanket ban on competing against Russian and Belarusian counterparts, regardless of the flag under which these athletes compete.

Some within Ukraine's sports community perceive this ban as detrimental to the careers of Ukrainian athletes and have called for a more nuanced approach.

Director of Olympic Solidarity and National Olympic Committees Relations at International Olympic Committee (IOC) James Macleod described Ukraine's decision forcing their national athletes to boycott competitions with Russian and Belarusian athletes as having "gone too far," stressing that governments should not prevent their national athletes from competing in international tournaments.  

"They [Ukraine] have gone so far as to prohibit their own athletes from competing in events in which there could be neutral athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport," he said.

"That obviously for us is a step too far because athletes must be at the center of all of our deliberations and we don’t believe that Government decisions whether it is the Ukrainian Government or the Russian Government or any Government should have an impact on the athletes ability to access international competitions or funding," Macleod told the Inside the Games portal. 

Back in early April, the Head of the Ukrainian President’s office Andrie Yermak urged the President of the International Gymnastics Federation President Morinari Watanabe to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from the upcoming 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) stated on 28 March, recommending that international sports federations allow Russian athletes to compete as neutrals provided they denounce the Russian "War" on Ukraine.   

In a statement, Yermak said that he, "held a meeting with International Gymnastics Federation President Morinari Watanabe… Called on Morinari Watanabe to support the initiative to ban the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in the 2024 Olympics."

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