The International Olympic Committee announced on Friday that athletes from Russia will again be allowed to compete in the 2026 Winter Olympics under a neutral flag if they meet strict conditions.
"The Executive Board will take the same approach as in Paris," said IOC President Kirsty Coventry, referring to last year's Olympics, where Russian athletes could only compete under a neutral flag and in individual competitions.
These athletes also had to undergo tests to prove that they do not actively support the war in Ukraine and have no ties to the army.
They will not be allowed to take part in the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina Games, which will take place from February 6 to 22, and their achievements will not be taken into account in the medal count.
The sanctions were imposed in response to Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The same measures continue to apply to athletes from Belarus, a Moscow ally.
The decision to stick to the previous policy, taken at a meeting in Milan on Friday, was "expected," Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyarev said on the social network Telegram.
He also paid tribute to the "balanced approach" of the IOC president, "in whose opinion military conflicts cannot serve as a reason for division in sport, since there are many of them in the world and different countries are involved in them."
Coventry played a role in last year's decision to host the Paris Olympics.
"I believe our movement will be better served if all athletes are represented," Coventry said in March when she was elected IOC president.
The limited presence of Russians and Belarusians in the French capital satisfied the Olympic organization: the Games brought together athletes from around the world while avoiding a boycott by Ukraine and its closest allies.
Only 15 Russians and 17 Belarusians competed in Paris, winning a total of five medals.
The size of the neutral delegation now depends on the international sports federations responsible for the qualification process, some of which continue to exclude Russians and Belarusians from their competitions.
Sporting power Russia has been stripped of its colours from the Olympic arena since 2016, initially due to a state-sponsored doping scandal.
The country's athletes competed under the Olympic flag in 2018, and then under the flag of the Russian Olympic Committee at the COVID-delayed 2021 Tokyo Olympics and the Winter Games in Beijing next year.
Russian troops invaded Ukraine days after the 2022 Winter Olympics, prompting sanctions from the IOC.
Since then, Russia and Belarus have been banned from hosting international competitions on their territories, and their flags, anthems, and officials have been banned from world sport.
As for the athletes, according to the IOC, they were initially excluded “for their own safety” and then, starting in March 2023, their rights were gradually reinstated.
It is not yet known how winter sports federations will respond to the IOC's decision, made on Friday.
Some countries have maintained a complete ban on Russian participation. Among them is the International Ski Federation (FIS), which accounts for more than half of the medal places at the Winter Olympics.
The International Biathlon Union (IBU) and the International Luge Federation (FIL) share this position, having conducted an anonymous survey among their athletes, which revealed “their concerns about safety, Olympic quotas, compliance with anti-doping rules, and fairness” in the event of Russia’s return.
The International Skating Union (ISU) has opened a narrow path to Olympic qualification, allowing one athlete from each of the two countries in each category, but not allowing participation in relays and team events.
Source: Сrypto Orda
