Neutral Athletes Shine Amid Olympic Restrictions

A week into the Paris Olympics, Ivan Litvinovich, a member of the neutral athlete collective, wins gold but faces notable restrictions due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Athletes from Russia and Belarus compete without national identity, marked as Individual Neutral Athletes. The IOC's policies reflect ongoing geopolitical tensions.

A week into the Paris Olympics, a gold medal was awarded to Ivan Litvinovich, representing the neutral collective of athletes. This victory comes amid stringent Olympic rules imposed on athletes from Russia and Belarus.

Litvinovich, like 32 other athletes from these nations, faced restrictions including the absence of his national anthem and the prohibition of national flags and team colors. This policy, driven by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), reflects ongoing tensions following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The IOC's vetting process for allowing individual athletes to compete has sparked controversy, viewed by some in Russia as politicized and humiliating. While some sports entirely ban Russian athletes, those who pass the vetting compete as Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN), stripped of national identity symbols.

(With inputs from agencies.)