Around 500 athletes from Russia and Belarus will be allowed to participate in the Asian Games in Guangzhou, which will take place on 23 September - 8 October 2023, insidethegames.biz reports. This was done to help athletes from Russia and Belarus qualify for the Olympic Games in Paris.

There are a few nuances. Russian and Belarusian athletes will compete out of the medal standings and without the possibility of receiving awards.

The use of national symbols is prohibited for Russians and Belarusians. All participants from these two countries will compete under a neutral flag.

If the representatives of Russia and Belarus show a result that will allow them to participate in the Olympic Games in France, the final decision on admission will be made by the international federations of the 31 sports included in the Paris 2024 programme.

In their comments, Russian fans called the situation humiliating.

"That is, it is humiliating to participate in competitions like the Olympics without a flag and anthem, but in the Asian Games without a flag, anthem and medals is normal. Is that right, am I confused?" - users joke.

Russian fans believe that such conditions make their compatriots second-class citizens.

The prospect of Russian and Belarusian athletes competing in the Asian Games first emerged in January after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said it wanted to see them at the Paris Games.

The vast majority of athletes from Russia and Belarus have been banned from international competitions since March 2022 following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

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