Olympic Council of Asia Invites Russia Athletes to Take Part in 2023 Asian Games
India’s P.V. Sindhu returns the ball to Vietnam’s Vu Thi Trang during their women’s single badminton match at 18th Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, Thursday, Aug. 23, 2018
InternationalIndiaAfricaMOSCOW (Sputnik) – The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) on Thursday invited Russian and Belarusian athletes to take part in the 2023 Asian Games, scheduled for the fall. At the Olympic Summit in December, the OCA announced its readiness to host Russian athletes at Asian sports competitions. On Wednesday, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said it was ready to consider the admission of Russian competitors to international tournaments under strict conditions, which includes not supporting the conflict in Ukraine. “The OCA believes in the unifying power of sport and that all athletes, regardless of their nationality or the passport they hold, should be able to compete in sports competitions. The OCA has offered to give eligible Russian and Belarusian athletes the opportunity to take part in competitions in Asia, including the Asian Games,” the OCA said in a statement. The organization added that it remains on standby as the IOC continues to explore, together with the International Sports Federations (ISFs), the pathway for the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes to competitions on strict conditions. The next Asian Games will be held in the Chinese city of Hangzhou from September 23 to October 8. On February 28, the IOC issued a recommendation to ISFs to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from international competitions in response to the special operation in Ukraine.