There are 15 athletes from Russia and Belarus competing as neutrals at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. They have been allowed to participate on the basis that they cannot compete under their country's flag, their medals do not count for Russia, and the rules stipulated that they had to reject war or any relationship with Russia. 

It was to these athletes competing in Paris that Yaroslava Mahuchikikh addressed after jumping 2.10 meters to win Ukraine a gold and break the world record. 

At home, in a loving reception, she dedicated her Olympic high jump gold medal to the 500 athletes and trainers who have died since the invasion of Ukraine. The delegation of this country is the smallest in its history: many athletes have died, others have fled, and those who remain have had many difficulties training in normal conditions in a war context. She herself was from her country when the invasion occurred.

The other message, apart from for her compatriots, was for the Russian athletes in Paris, to whom she explicitly asked to criticise Russia and the war, although theoretically, the status of neutral requires a prior verification of this.

"They said nothing against this war," she said, showing disappointment about it and adding that she did not know "how it is possible to compete" at the Olympic Games without talking about what happened. 

"The Olympic Games are about peace," she said. On Sunday, 20-year-old Russian tennis player Diana Shnaider refused to talk about politics: "I'm here to speak about tennis," she told reporters after winning a silver medal. 

Mahuchikh said it was "terrible" that Russia had ridiculed the idea of an Olympic truce and advanced with the invasion, now in its third year. "It is not possible to compete with terrorists," she said.

She also criticised the Olympic organisers for having “double standards”, showing on the one hand “solidarity with us” and at the same time allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete. 

Global Rights Compliance, a Hague-based human rights foundation, said last month that two-thirds of Russian athletes approved by the IOC to compete as neutral have expressed support for Moscow's invasion or have links with the army. Russian journalists were vetted too.

Ukraine medals

There were more medals for Ukraine in Paris coming from Iryna Gerashchenko, Myhaylo Kohkan (hammer), the women's sabre team competition (first gold), and Olga Kharlan in the individual sabre.