If you keep up to date with the Olympic Games, you may have heard of the high-level athletes who take part in the Olympic Games under the neutral banner. Competing independently, Independent Olympic Participants or AINs, these athletes come from countries whose committees have not been recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Unlike the athletes making up theOlympic refugee team , who have been forced into exile from their country for political reasons, the athletes competing under the neutral banner have not deliberately chosen not to represent their country. Indeed, for doping cases, serious human rights violations or political issues, countries are not allowed to participate. Their athletes can, provided they agree to compete under the Olympic banner.
If a neutral individual athlete wins Olympic gold, theOlympic anthem, created by Greek composer Spýros Samáras, will be played.
Belarus and Russia are not allowed to have an Olympic committee for these Paris 2024 Games: if athletes wish to compete, they can do so by adopting the neutral banner. Being individual, athletes under the neutral banner do not appear in the medal rankings.
