Ivan Litvinovich of Belarus, competing as a neutral athlete at the Paris Olympics, secured a gold medal in the men’s trampoline final. Despite this achievement, his victory won’t be included in the official medal standings. Litvinovich, who previously won the title, outperformed China’s Wang Zisai and Yan Langyu, who took silver and bronze, respectively.
Due to the international sanctions imposed on Russia and Belarus following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, athletes from these countries are participating under a neutral designation. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has allowed their participation under strict conditions, ensuring that these athletes neither actively supported the war in Ukraine nor have connections with their countries’ military forces. Only 15 Russian and 17 Belarusian athletes accepted the invitation to compete under these neutral terms.
These athletes are not permitted to use their national flags or anthems, and their achievements are not counted in the official medal table. Instead of hearing the Belarusian anthem, Litvinovich received his medal to a generic, wordless tune selected by the IOC.
Litvinovich expressed mixed feelings about the experience, acknowledging that the generic anthem played was not the same as hearing his national anthem. He refrained from commenting on his presence at the Games or past expressions of support for his country, stating he only wished to discuss sports-related topics.
Earlier, another Belarusian athlete, Viyaleta Bardzilouskaya, made history by winning a silver medal in the women’s trampoline event, marking the first medal won by a neutral athlete at these Games. This development continues to highlight the unique circumstances under which athletes from Russia and Belarus are competing in Paris.
