Fact: Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected assertions by French President Emmanuel Macron that Russia would malevolently target the Paris Olympics this summer. Peskov also denied a claim by the Czech Republic’s transport minister that Russia had been trying to sabotage the EU’s railway networks through hacking.
Cypriot police officers with detection dogs are being requested to assist with security at the Summer Olympics in Paris.
Fact: Cypriot rhythmic gymnast Vera Tukolukova won a bronze medal at the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup in Athens, marking the first time a Cypriot gymnast has won a medal in a World Cup final.
On September 21, 2023, a crew led by IOC Young Leader Sophia Papamichalopoulos completed a circumnavigation of Cyprus, a feat not achieved in over 50 years. The project, named Winds of Change, involved young Greek and Turkish Cypriots sailing around the entire island to promote peace-building and dialogue. The journey took almost 70 hours, covering 326.9 nautical miles, and ended on the International Day of Peace. The initiative has gained international attention, with a documentary set to be released at the Paris Olympics.
Kylian Mbappe believes he will decide on his next club before the European Championship starts in June. He is set to leave Paris St Germain in the summer and is focused on playing for France in the Euros and possibly the Olympics in Paris, depending on selection eligibility. Mbappe has not yet announced his future plans but expects to resolve them before the Euros. He has expressed a desire to play in the Olympics, though participation is not solely his decision due to age restrictions in the men’s soccer tournament. France’s head coach, Didier Deschamps, mentioned the importance of upcoming friendly matches against Germany and Chile for finalizing the team list for the Euros, where France will play Austria in their opening game on June 17. The Paris Olympics will start in July.
Russia criticized the International Olympic Committee’s decision to ban its athletes from the opening parade of the Paris Olympics, describing it as a violation of the Olympic ideal. The Kremlin argued that this decision undermines the interests of Olympic athletes and contradicts the ideology of the Olympic movement. The IOC’s decision was based on the fact that Russian athletes will compete as neutral individuals, not as a team, due to sanctions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Belarusian athletes face the same restrictions because Belarus allowed its territory to be used for Russia’s military operation in Ukraine.
Senior International Olympic Committee (IOC) Vice-President John Coates is unsure about the exact number of Russian athletes who will compete as neutral athletes at the Paris Games, but suggests that reports of around 40 could be accurate. This is due to sanctions from the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, with Belarus acting as a staging post, allowing only some Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under strict conditions. The decision to include these neutral athletes has been criticized by Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo. Neutral athletes will only compete in individual sports without national symbols, and those supporting the war in Ukraine or contracted to the Russian or Belarusian military are ineligible. Despite restrictions, Russia’s Olympic chief, Stanislav Pozdnyakov, confirmed Russian athletes would not boycott the Games. Previously, 335 athletes competed under the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) team in Tokyo 2021, and Belarus sent 101 athletes. The ROC has been suspended by the IOC for recognizing regional Olympic Councils in annexed Ukrainian territories, a decision upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). As of the decision in December, eight Russians and three Belarusians had qualified for the Paris Olympics, with over 60 Ukrainians also qualified. Some sports have banned Russian and Belarusian athletes, while others, like World Swimming and the International Tennis Federation (ITF), will allow them under IOC restrictions. Russia’s world number four tennis player, Daniil Medvedev, expressed his intention to compete and follow the rules. The Paris Olympics are scheduled from July 26 to August 11.