Olympics-Belarusian athletes opposed to Lukashenko ask to be cleared to compete

FILE PHOTO: Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko attends a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Minsk, Belarus, January 19, 2023. Russian Foreign Ministry/Handout via REUTERS

GENEVA (Reuters) - Belarusian athletes who openly oppose the leadership of Alexander Lukashenko on Friday called on the International Olympic Committee to allow them to compete while barring those who support the authorities and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The possibility that Russian and Belarusian athletes could be given a pathway to compete at the Summer Olympics in Paris next year has infuriated Ukraine and countries including Latvia, which have threatened to boycott the Games.