On Tuesday, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that Russian athletes will be allowed to compete in team events and qualifiers for the 2028 Los Angeles (LA) Olympics.
According to AFP, IOC President Kirsty Coventry clarified that this decision aims to ensure all athletes have the opportunity to participate in the Olympics without being held accountable for their governments’ actions.
The ban on playing the Russian national anthem and displaying the flag will remain in effect through the qualifiers. However, a decision on whether to extend this ban to the main event two years later has not yet been made.
The IOC stated that it will decide at an appropriate time regarding the display of the Russian flag, anthem, colors, or any other identifying symbols during the Olympics.
To address trust issues stemming from Russia’s doping scandal, the IOC added that all athletes returning to international competitions must undergo multiple tests before their comeback.
The Ukrainian Olympic Committee criticized the IOC’s decision as premature and unfounded, arguing that Russia continues to blatantly violate international law and fundamental principles of peace and security through its full-scale military invasion of Ukraine.
Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyarev welcomed the announcement via Telegram, stating that the IOC is sending a clear message that the Olympic Movement must remain free from politics. He confirmed Russia’s intention to participate in the LA Olympic qualifiers.
In October 2023, the IOC had restricted Russia and Belarus, which has supported Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, to participating in the Olympics only under individual neutral status and banned them from team events.
The ban on Belarus was lifted in May, allowing the country’s national anthem to be played and flag to be displayed.
The IOC also announced that individual international sports federations can independently decide whether to allow the Russian flag and anthem at their events and whether to host competitions in Russia.
World Athletics has maintained its complete ban on Russian and Belarusian teams, citing a lack of substantial progress towards peace negotiations.
However, the International Judo Federation and World Aquatics reinstated athletes from both countries without waiting for IOC approval, doing so in November last year and April this year, respectively.
IOC Sports Director Pierre Ducrey cautioned that Russia’s return to international sports will unfold in a fragmented landscape, with varying approaches across different sports disciplines.