The list of Russian athletes who will head to the Paris Olympics later this month has thinned to just over a dozen, as several sports federation heads have said their squads will not take part under what they see as humiliating restrictions.
Athletes from Russia and Belarus, Moscow’s closest ally in the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, are barred from the Paris Games unless they compete as neutrals without their flags, anthems and emblems.
As of July 10, the Olympics website shows that only 16 Russian athletes are scheduled to appear in the Paris Games, which run from July 26-Aug 11.
Russia takes pride in its record as a major sporting power at the Olympics. At the last summer Games in Tokyo in 2021, 335 Russian athletes competed, coming away with 71 medals including 20 golds.
Russians and Belarusian athletes have been forced to undergo an additional vetting process to ensure they do not support Russia’s war and have no connection to its military.
While 36 Russians received the green light, 20 of them subsequently declined to compete, according to the IOC.
The Olympics kick off as tensions between Russia and the West are at their most acute in decades.
Moscow has denounced the vetting process and other restrictions as discriminatory, accusing the IOC of engaging in a “conspiracy” to exclude its athletes.

USA confirms 592-member Olympic team
The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) on Wednesday formally named a star-studded 592-member team for this month’s Olympic Games in Paris.
The US squad, which is comprised of 314 female athletes and 278 male athletes, will be aiming to top the Olympic medal table for a fourth straight games.
The team includes Olympic stars such as gymnast Simone Biles, swimmer Katie Ledecky and NBA icon LeBron James.
“It is with immense pride and excitement that we announce the 2024 US Olympic Team and the exceptional athletes that embody the spirit of dedication, resilience, and excellence, continuing the proud history of Team USA at the Olympic Games,” USOPC chief executive Sarah Hirshland said in a statement.
The US Paris team includes more than 250 returning Olympians, including three five-time Olympians, four four-time Olympians and 16 three-time Olympians.