IOC Lifts Suspension on Russia, Paving Way for LA Olympics

The International Olympic Committee has lifted the suspension on Russia that was imposed after the invasion of Ukraine, paving the way for the Russian team to compete at the Los Angeles Olympics.

Only a handful of Russians were able to compete at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics and this year’s Milano Cortina Winter Games as authorised neutral athletes, after an IOC vetting panel checked whether they had offered any public support for the war in Ukraine.

That requirement has now ended, meaning a Russian team of hundreds of athletes is likely to be present in Los Angeles. However, the IOC said it would decide at a later date whether the Russians would be able to compete under their own flag and anthem.

The IOC also said it would not be hosting events in Russia for the time being – or invite Russian officials to its events.

“The decision on whether to host events and sports competitions in Russia, to invite Russian government or state officials to competitions, or to allow the display of the Russian flag, anthem, colours or any other identifications, is at the discretion of each international federation and international sports event organiser, and should reflect whether their national federations are in good standing,” the IOC said in a statement.

“In this respect, the IOC will not organise IOC events in Russia or invite Russian government or state officials to its events. The IOC will take a decision in relation to the display of the Russian flag, anthem, colours or any identifications for the Olympic Games at the appropriate time.”

It also confirmed that because of concerns around the Russian Anti-Doping Agency, Russian athletes would have to be tested multiple times by the International Testing Agency before being allowed to compete in global competition again.

The sticking point to the suspension being lifted was not the war itself, but rather the fact the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) had claimed territories in Ukraine as being under its jurisdiction. However, the IOC said its legal affairs commission was now satisfied that the ROC no longer included as its members any regional sports organisations in territories falling under the jurisdiction of Ukraine. As a result it said that the ban, which was imposed on 12 October 2023, had been lifted.

The IOC’s executive board said it would continue to closely monitor the situation relating to any ROC activities in those territories, and would “reserve the right to take any further measures if deemed necessary”.

The IOC warned that Russian athletes’ “selection shall be based not only on their sports performance, but also on their ability to serve as role models who respect, uphold and promote a peaceful society through sport as set forth in the Olympic Charter”.