As each country climbed aboard the boat for the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, a small group of athletes were not there – they were not allowed in at all.
They will also not be able to fly their country's flag during the games, and when they win the gold medal, the independent national anthem will be played.
Introducing AIN.
The name comes from the French name Athlètes Individuels Neutres and emerged as a result of the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) tough stance on the war in Ukraine.
A total of 32 athletes – 17 from Belarus and 15 from Russia – will perform under the banner of AIN in Paris.
The most famous Russian, who performs under the banner of AIN, is the world no. 5 tennis star Daniil Medvedev.
But the decision to allow the AIN team drew criticism.
How was the decision made?
The qualification process for AIN athletes has been nothing short of challenging.
On the eve of the 2024 Games, the IOC allowed each international federation of each sport to decide whether they would admit Russian and Belarusian athletes.
Some sports have opted for a complete ban, while others have been allowed to compete.
If they met the requirements, AIN athletes had to apply to a screening committee established by the IOC.
Anyone who supported the Russian invasion or had ties to the Russian military was banned.
Like all other athletes, those selected will also be required to sign the Paris 2024 Conditions of Participation.
This includes commitment to the Olympic Charter, including the “peaceful mission of the Olympic Movement”.
The inspection also extended to officials, personnel and even journalists.
France's interim interior minister, Gérald Darmanin, said the country had rejected 4,000 applications for accreditation for the games, including those from Russia and Belarus, for security reasons.
How was this news received?
News of AIN's development was heavily criticized by the Ukrainian Olympic team, which threatened to boycott the Games over the decision.
The team has since said it is reluctant to participate, but warned its athletes this week to avoid direct contact with those competing under the AIN banner.
This week, Global Rights Compliance called on the IOC to review the committee's commitment to “United Nations business and human rights principles.”
Global Rights Compliance said more than 450 top Ukrainian athletes have died in the war since Russia invaded in February 2022.
“These Olympics should be an opportunity for the IOC to reaffirm and demonstrate respect for its own human rights policies,” said Wayne Jordash, president of Global Rights Compliance.
The inclusion of AIN was a major challenge for fencing because of the traditional handshake at the end of the bout.
This was replaced by a salute after Ukrainian fencer Olga Harlan was disqualified in July 2023 for refusing to shake hands with her Russian opponent.
The International Fencing Federation overturned her suspension after a major backlash, before changing rules to prevent Russian and Ukrainian athletes from touching each other.
But wait, wasn't Russia banned from the Olympics before?
In recent years, Russia has developed a difficult relationship with the IOC.
In 2019, Russia was banned from participating in the Olympics for four years due to doping.
Nevertheless, the team was able to perform at the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo-2020 and the Winter Games in Beijing-2022 under a separate name – the Olympic Committee of Russia (Olympic Committee of Russia).
Competing under the flag of the Russian Orthodox Church, the athletes performed under a separate flag, and when they won the gold medal, they used a fragment of Pyotr Tchaikovsky's first piano concerto instead of the national anthem.
They were also allowed to wear uniforms with the colors of the Russian flag.
However, after the war, these exemptions were revoked by the IOC, and athletes must compete in complete neutrality.