The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced today that it is provisionally lifting its suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee. The decision, which gives Russian athletes a pathway to compete under the Russian flag at the 2028 Olympics, happens less than 48 hours after a Russian attack on Kyiv killed 22 people.
In a release on the Olympic website, the IOC laid out conditions and recommendations for international sports federations (IFs) to fully re-integrate Russia and Russian athletes into their federations. IFs have individual discretion over whether symbols like the Russian flag or the Russian national anthem are allowed at their events, if competitions can be held in Russia, and if Russian state officials are allowed to come.
World Athletics, one of the flagship IFs, will continue its exclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes from its events, per a decision made last week.
World Aquatics, on the other hand, has continuously softened its position on the inclusion of Russia and Belarus. In April, the organization restored the two nations’ full membership rights, meaning that Russian and Belarusian athletes can compete under their flags, wear their colors, and that Russia and Belarus are eligible to host World Aquatics events.
Russian sports minister Mikhail Degtyarev welcomed the IOC’s decision today.
“The IOC is sending a clear signal: the Olympic movement must remain free from politics,” Degystarev wrote.
“Our country’s return to the Olympic family is a green light for international federations to reinstate all our athletes,” the minister added.
The IOC release today laid out guidelines for Russian athletes to re-enter the drug testing pool in their IFs. The organization also said its stance against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has not changed, and that it will continue to not host events in Russia or invite Russian state officials to IOC events.
Why Now?
The Russo-Ukrainian war, which started when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of its neighbor in February 2022, has now lasted longer than World War I. Casualties are believed to have exceeded two million cumulatively on both sides.
Material conditions of Russia’s war in Ukraine have not changed recently. As mentioned before, Russia launched an attack on Kyiv as recently as this Monday morning, killing 22 people and injuring dozens. The week prior, Russia also launched 500 drones and 70 missiles in an attack on Ukraine. This attack killed 18, injured nearly 100, and hit residential and medical areas.
So why are suspensions being lifted now? According to the IOC, the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) has reversed its recognition of regional Olympic councils in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories. The ROC was originally handed a suspension in 2023 for its recognition of ROC councils in Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia – all of which are part of Ukraine.
The IOC also suggests that the decision was made now with the “need to offer equal access to these competitions to all athletes” in mind, as qualification periods for LA 2028 have already begun.
Without the noise, I personally enjoy when the Olympic final has ALL of the best athletes in the world racing. The Olympic gold means more when the whole competition is there. Everyone disagrees with everyone anyway, this is about who the best swimmer is.
Wow I totally thought we could trust the white Zimbabwean who once received a large amount of money from a literal dictator to do the write thing!
I didn’t realize the war in Ukraine was over.
I didn’t realize the specific reason for the ban was related to an ROC issue, I just thought it was about the war generally. I guess they kind of HAD to end the ban if the ROC reversed the decision in question
When does israel get banned
Problem: you have been suspended from the Olympics for bombing another country for no reason
Solution: continue bombing that country for 4 more years
Russia literally destroys everything in Ukraine, including swimming pools: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DaS-zUDsL95/
Is it fair to let the nation who takes away training facilities from others compete like nothing happens?
Absolute disrespect to those a**holes at IOC.
Israel. The country your Zelenskyy seems to support
Oh, l must have missed that Russia stopped their daily missles attacks killing Ukrainian civilians.
Not defending Russia, but there aren’t many countries these days NOT committing or supporting atrocities on mass scale.
I agree. The US started a war with Iran, Israel is at it too… it’s either everyone or no one.
And I say that as someone who is wholeheartedly rooting for Ukraine.
I’m sure Venezuela would also like to have a word.
Such as the upcoming 2028 host NPC. Perhaps it’s time that Pax Olympica was a prerequisite to play.
Of course. Why wouldn’t they commit or support atrocities when the rest of the world is so tolerant to it?