Russians and Belarusians will not be allowed to take part in the parade of athletes at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics on July 26, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on March 19. Athletes from the countries who qualify for the Olympics will compete as independents without their flags and anthems under an IOC decision that followed Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Thousands of athletes will take part in the parade by traveling on boats down the Seine toward the Eiffel Tower as opposed to the more traditional parade of teams inside a stadium.
