Russia has moved closer to returning to the Olympic stage with a full team, national flag and anthem at the 2028 Los Angeles Games after the International Olympic Committee provisionally lifted its suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee and told international sports federations to end a three-year vetting system for Russian athletes competing as neutrals.

The IOC said the timing reflected the start of qualification for the LA Games and the need to “offer equal access” to those competitions.

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The principle takes centre stage

IOC president Kirsty Coventry said the decision was consistent with the body’s view that athletes should not be punished for government actions.

“We don’t want to hold athletes accountable for the actions of their governments,” she said after chairing an executive board meeting. She added, “I wouldn’t be sitting here if I had to pay the price when my country was going through things and being sanctioned.”

Ukraine’s sports minister, Matvii Bidnyi, pushed back sharply, saying the war had not changed and that the situation had become worse, not better. On Tuesday, he told, “So we don’t understand it.”

The hurdles remain in place

The IOC’s move does not automatically restore Russia to every sport. Its guidance is not binding on individual federations, and several still maintain bans or restrictions.

World Athletics said it would continue its exclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes, while FIFA and UEFA have also kept Russia out of their competitions.

Russian athletes and teams may also run into visa problems in countries hosting events. At the same time, the IOC repeated its solidarity with Ukraine and said financial support for the Olympic community there would continue.

The last word has yet to be written

Russia’s Olympic committee was suspended in 2023 after the Russian body incorporated regional sports councils from occupied areas of eastern Ukraine, though the IOC later said the committee had confirmed it would not operate in those territories.

The IOC said Russian athletes seeking neutral status had to show no links to state military or security agencies and no public support for the war in Ukraine, and that social media activity would continue to be monitored.

The committee did not yet approve the use of the Russian flag and anthem, saying that decision would come later, “at an appropriate time.”

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FAQs

Q1: Why did the IOC ease restrictions on Russian athletes ahead of the 2028 Olympics?

The IOC said it wants to ensure equal access to Olympic qualification events and does not believe athletes should be held responsible for the actions of their governments.

Q2: Will Russia compete with its flag and anthem at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics?

Not yet, as the IOC said a decision on restoring Russia’s flag and anthem will be made at a later stage.