Thomas Bach says it is hard to imagine a decision on Russian and Belarusian participation at Paris 2024 before the IOC Session in October ©Getty Images

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach has stated that a decision on Russia and Belarus' participation at Paris 2024 will be unlikely prior to the governing body's Session in October.

This is after Games' President Tony Estanguet saying he "understood from the IOC that the decision will be made in September 2023 at the earliest".

The IOC session is set to take place in Mumbai from October 15 to 17 following an Executive Board meeting from October 12 to 13.

"We are going to take our time," Bach said. 

"We need to be as confident as possible that the right choice is being made. 

"I cannot imagine that it will be already the case on the occasion of the IOC Session in October in India."

The decision on Russia and Belarus at Paris 2024 could likely be made at the IOC Session in Mumbai ©Getty Images
The decision on Russia and Belarus at Paris 2024 could likely be made at the IOC Session in Mumbai ©Getty Images

Bach also insisted that the IOC is united with France in their views of Russian and Belarusian athletes competing in global sport in the build up to Paris 2024.

During a roundtable event, the German stressed multiple times that he did not want to punish athletes for the actions of their Governments.  

"We have a mission to unite all the athletes of the world in a peaceful competition," Bach said.

"We have the responsibility not to punish athletes for the acts of their governments."

Thomas Bach has claimed that the IOC is in alignment with the French Government on Russia and Belarus despite Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra distancing herself from the stance ©Getty Images
Thomas Bach has claimed that the IOC is in alignment with the French Government on Russia and Belarus despite Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra distancing herself from the stance ©Getty Images

He claims that the two agree on allowing Russians and Belarusians to take part in international events as individual neutrals as long as they do not support the war and are not associated with the military.

However, French Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra has stated that the IOC recommendations were "a step which does not pre-judge what we will do" for Paris 2024.

"We are fully aligned in our approach and the position as the French Government and the French President has signed the G7 declaration which is supportive of our position," Bach said. 

"A number of events are taking place in France in recent months where athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport were taking place so there is a good alignment that I don't see any issues there at this moment."