Three athletes who publicly supported the Kremlin's war in Ukraine will compete in the 2024 Olympics in Paris despite rules requiring neutrality, according to Politico.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) rules stipulate that Russian and Belarusian athletes can compete only if they do not actively support the war or work for military structures or national security agencies of either country. However, violations related to social media activity, such as liking or sharing posts in support of the war, have been noted.

The athletes who have shown support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine include tennis players Yelena Vesnina and Diana Schneider, and cyclist Yelena Ivanchenko, all of whom are set to compete in Paris. The Ukrainian Olympic Committee has also called for the exclusion of trampolinist Anzhela Bladtseva, who has posted videos featuring pro-Russian military symbols on social media.

Furthermore, Russian tennis player Shamil Tarpishchev, known for his active support of the mobilization of Russian athletes to fight against Ukraine, will be present at the Games, according to the Russian propaganda agency TASS.

This situation has angered Ukrainian officials and athletes, many of whom have faced significant hardships due to the ongoing conflict. Vitaly Dubrova, Ukraine's chief judo coach, highlighted that many Ukrainian athletes are on the front lines or in the National Guard, with some having lost their lives.

Despite the IOC having a committee responsible for vetting athletes' eligibility, some appear to have bypassed this scrutiny. A Dutch organization, Global Rights Compliance, found that 33 of the 57 Russian and Belarusian athletes approved for the Olympics had actually supported the war in Ukraine.