Ivan Litvinovich and Viyaleta Bardzilouskaya stand on the Olympic podium, gold and silver medals adorning their necks. Yet, their achievements will not be reflected in the official medal table. The trampoline gymnasts, two of 17 Belarusian athletes competing in Paris, are participating as Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN), due to their country's suspension stemming from its support of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has invited eligible athletes from both Belarus and Russia to participate as AINs, subject to stringent criteria. This means competing without national flags, colours, or anthems, and their medals will remain outside the traditional nation rankings.
Among the conditions imposed are that these athletes must not actively support the war and must not be employed by either the Russian or Belarusian military or national security agencies.
Litvinovich, 23, successfully defended his title on Friday. However, instead of hearing the Belarusian anthem that accompanied his flag in Tokyo, he was greeted by an IOC-commissioned song with no lyrics, while the teal AIN flag was raised. Nonetheless, he received a congratulatory message from Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who wrote on his official website: "Dear Ivan, you are our pride! Thank you for the Olympic gold."
When questioned by a reporter regarding his past support for Lukashenko, Litvinovich swiftly dismissed the inquiry as a "provocation" and refused to answer. He did, however, express his preference for the Belarusian anthem, stating it was "much better" than the AIN one. He added that he hoped to compete under his own flag and anthem at the next Olympics.
Litvinovich maintained that everyone is aware of his nationality and that "nothing had changed."
Bardzilouskaya, 19, secured silver in the women's trampoline event, finishing behind Great Britain's Bryony Page. The Belarusian Olympic Committee (BOC), which is not recognised by the IOC, offered congratulations to Bardzilouskaya. "This is your first Olympic medal and the first medal for Belarus in Paris, so it is twice as valuable and special," said its president, Viktor Lukashenko, son of Alexander Lukashenko, in a statement on the BOC website. "Your beautiful debut at the Games is impressive and admirable. You have given unforgettable emotions and joy to millions of Belarusian fans and our athletes."
Meanwhile, eligible Russian athletes are also competing as AINs, with Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider guaranteeing another AIN medal after securing a spot in the women's doubles tennis final. These two are among the 15 Russians participating in Paris.
The IOC initially banned athletes from both Russia and Belarus following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. However, it later revised its stance, allowing athletes from both countries to compete as neutrals if they met specific eligibility requirements. The IOC cited "respecting human rights" as the rationale for this decision.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his disapproval of this move last year, stating that allowing Russia to compete in the Olympics would be tantamount to accepting "terror" as a legitimate act. He argued that neutrality in sports is unattainable while Ukrainian athletes are risking their lives on the battlefield.
This marks the fourth consecutive Olympics where Russian athletes are competing under a neutral designation. Prior to the invasion of Ukraine, Russia had already faced international sporting sanctions for a state-sponsored doping scandal.
