International Olympic Committee hits back at Vladimir Putin

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) dismissed on Friday claims by Russian President Vladimir Putin of “ethnic discrimination” against athletes from his country.

The IOC has advised sports bodies this year to vet Russian athletes for returning to compete as neutral individuals.

Neutral status can be approved for athletes who have not actively supported the war and are not contracted to military. “We firmly reject the accusations being made that these measures are an ethnic discrimination,’” the IOC said in a statement one day after Putin’s speech.

Putin also reportedly complained on Thursday that invitations to the Olympics were not being given as a right for the best athletes.