IOC President Thomas Bach wants to reopen the door to the Olympic Games for Russian athletes - provided they distance themselves from Vladimir Putin's policies.
"Our goal is that athletes with a Russian passport who do not support the war can take part in competitions again," Bach said in an interview with the "Corriere della Sera".
These "should be able to compete under a neutral flag."
The war of aggression against the Ukraine was "certainly not started by Russian athletes", Bach justified this attitude.
However, implementing his idea is “not easy”.
The President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) pointed to a "major discrepancy at the political level in relation to our decisions".
Some governments have decided on their own initiative to refuse Russian athletes entry into their territory, Bach said.
Others forbid their athletes to compete with Russians.
Some countries, on the other hand, did not feel able to guarantee their safety, the 68-year-old said.
"Our peacekeeping mission is faltering, and in such a conflict-ridden environment, Russian and Belarusian athletes are now paying for it," Bach said.