French President Emmanuel Macron insisted on September 6 that "the Russian flag cannot be at the Paris Olympic Games...at a time when Russia is committing war crimes." Macron made the comment to the sports daily L'Equipe, which had asked him about the possible presence of Russian athletes in Paris competing as neutrals. Macron said he hoped this would be “a decision of conscience in the Olympic world,” adding that it is not up to the host state to decide what the International Olympic Committee (IOC) should do.