International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach has said the preparations for the Paris Olympics were "excellent" and there was nothing to fear.
"There are no worries," said Bach when asked about the conduct of the first games post Covid. His statement also comes amid geopolitical tensions caused by the Israel-Palestine war and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
"The preparation is excellent, there’s nothing to fear, there are no worries. If I had any concerns, it would be if I felt or saw that we were letting our guard down because of this excellent preparation. But the Organising Committee for the Olympic Games is continuing to work with the same attitude as before. They are very vigilant, they are not unaware of the challenges. Everything is put on the table, we discuss, we decide and then we manage to resolve the problems or challenges that arise," Bach said.
This being the first Olympics since Covid, Bach said his colleagues were saying there were no more masks.
He added that 14 athletes with Russian passports and 16 with Belarusian passports have accepted the invitation to attend the games. "What we have seen is a different attitude between Belarus and Russia. The Belarusian National Olympic Committee has been constructive. Two days ago, they took a formal decision to ensure their presence and to support their athletes so that they can make their Olympic dream a reality. The situation in Russia is different. There are several sporting and government authorities who have taken a different attitude," Bach said.
