The Olympic Committee of Asia (OCA) has invited athletes from

Russia

and Belarus to participate in the 2023 Asian Games.

This is stated in a statement on the organization's official website.

"The Olympic Committee of Asia joins the Olympic Movement in supporting the statement of the IOC Executive Committee on solidarity with Ukraine, sanctions against Russia and Belarus and the status of athletes from these countries.

The OCA believes in the unifying power of sport and that all athletes, regardless of their nationality or passport, should be able to participate in sporting events.

The OCA proposes to provide eligible Russian and Belarusian athletes with the opportunity to compete in Asia, including the Asian Games.

The Olympic Committee of Asia remains on standby as the IOC continues to explore ways to return Russian and Belarusian athletes to competition under strict conditions," the Asian Olympic Committee said in a statement.

It is noted that if athletes from Russia and Belarus participate in the Asian Games, they will compete in a neutral status without flags and anthems.

In turn, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has already supported the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in competitions in Asia.

This was announced in an official statement based on the results of the meeting of the Executive Committee of the organization.

We will remind you that earlier the IOC discussed the issue of the exclusion of Russians and Belarusians from international competitions and announced its

readiness to consider the possibility of the return of athletes from the aggressor countries

, but only if they comply with strict conditions - on the conditions of complete neutrality and only those who did not support the war in Ukraine.

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