IOC Lifts Ban on Russian Olympic Committee
After years of competing as neutral athletes, Russian athletes can again compete as Russians.
The International Olympic Committee lifted the ban on the Russian Olympic Committee today following an extensive review of the committee’s operations and compliance with the Olympic Charter.
The ban is lifted on a provisional basis, which continues to warrant review for whether Russian athletes can serve as role models, and is effective for the LA28 games. The ban is conditional on whether the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) certifies the organization as meeting all anti-doping requirements. The decision on whether the IOC will permit the Russian flag, anthem, colors, or identifications for the games is still forthcoming.
During the Milano Cortina games, the IOC reiterated that the suspension had nothing to do with the IOC’s view of the war in Ukraine, which the IOC reiterated it was opposed to in a statement.
“The Russian Olympic Committee was suspended for sports reasons,” said IOC Spokesperson Mark Adams at the time.
The sports reasons alluded to were the annexation of the Crimean peninsula into the governance of the Russian Olympic Committee, which is the peninsula at odds in the war in Ukraine. This action violated the Olympic Charter and caused the committee’s suspension.
In a statement, the IOC indicated that it “stands in solidarity with the Olympic community of Ukraine, which the Olympic Movement has supported since the beginning of the war, and will continue to do so. The IOC established a Solidarity Fund for Ukraine so that the athletes have support to overcome the tremendous challenges they continue to face.”
The IOC also suspended Belarus at the same time, but lifted those sanctions earlier this year.
Athletes from Russia and Belarus have been competing in the Olympics in the past, notably in Paris and in Milano Cortina, as Individual Neutral Athletes, under a generic flag and anthem. Today’s decision opens the door for them to return to competition as nationals of their own countries.
