Up to 500 Russian and Belarusian athletes will be allowed to compete as neutrals at the Asian Games in China later this year, organizers said on July 8. Both countries have been excluded from many sports events since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, though individual athletes have been allowed to compete under certain restrictions. The General Assembly of the Olympic Council of Asia voted to allow a maximum of 500 competitors from the countries to compete so that they may seek to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics. The International Olympic Committee has said a pathway for the athletes' participation in Paris should be explored.
