Russian Cyclist Vlasov Turns Down Olympics Spot

Russian cyclist Alexander Vlasov has turned down the chance to participate in the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris due to his "very busy calendar," a top Russian sporting official said on Thursday.Vlasov, 28, was one of 14 Russian athletes approved

by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) over the weekend to compete in the games under a neutral flag.The IOC suspended Russia from the 2024 Games last year but gave the green light for its athletes to compete as neutrals as long as they did not actively support the Kremlin\'s war on Ukraine."The profile of the Paris track doesn\'t suit him," the head of the Russian Cycling Federation, Vyacheslav Ekimov, told the state-run TASS news agency. "And the athlete has a very busy calendar."