The Central American country is now suspended from active participation in the Olympic Games. At the recent Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, its athletes competed as “Independents,” and in Paris they will compete as neutrals for the time being, although a return is imminent.

It’s not just Russia and Belarus that have been suspended from the upcoming Paris Olympics because of to the conflict with Ukraine that began in February 2022. Their athletes will be allowed to compete as neutrals, but without their national flag or their national anthem.

Guatemala faces a similar situation, albeit for different reasons. Since October 2022, a sanction has been in place due to the partial suspension of the statutes of the Guatemalan Olympic Committee (COG) by the Constitutional Court, following a lawsuit filed by a presidential candidate for the organisation.

The suspension will remain in place until the COG’s statutes, suspended by the court, are reinstated. As a result, Guatemalan athletes cannot compete in international tournaments with their flag or anthem, as was the case at the recent Pan American Games in Chile. This is despite Guatemala’s long tradition of participating in the most important sporting event in the Americas since the inauguration of the Pan American Games in 1951 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

When the invitations to the 33rd Olympic Games of the modern era were sent out in July, IOC President Thomas Bach stated: “There are presidential elections; we hope that after the actions related to the electoral campaign, things will calm down, and Guatemalan athletes will be able to participate with their flag and anthem. If the situation is not resolved, we will invite the Guatemalan athletes to participate under the Olympic flag.”