THE Kremlin today said it will defend its athletes, a day after Olympic chiefs recommended they compete as individuals under a neutral flag with no links to the military.

“We will defend the interests of our athletes in every way possible, and will continue contact with the IOC to protect (their) interests,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) yesterday recommended to sports federations and events organisers that Russian and Belarusian athletes return to competition “only” as individuals under a neutral flag.

Among other IOC recommendations, athletes should not have “actively” supported the Ukraine offensive and should not be “contracted” to the military or national security agencies.

Russia’s Olympic Committee called the IOC criteria “unacceptable” and “discrimination on the basis of nationality”.

But IOC is yet to decide on the potential participation of athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport at the Paris Olympic Games next year, saying a decision would be taken “at the appropriate time”. – AFP, March 29, 2023.