International Olympic Committee lifts Russia suspension ahead of 2028 LA Games
✓International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry speaks at the SwissTech Convention Center, in Lausanne, Switzerland, on June 24. Cyril Zingaro/Keystone via AP hide caption
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Cyril Zingaro/Keystone via AP
LAUSANNE, Switzerland — The IOC advised Olympic sports bodies on Tuesday to end a three-year program vetting Russians for neutral status ahead of qualifying events for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The move was expected since the International Olympic Committee advised two months ago that athletes from Belarus, Russia's military ally in the full military invasion of Ukraine, should be allowed again to compete with their full national identity.
"The IOC 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 Olympic body said in a statement after a meeting of its executive board.
The IOC eased entry requirements to its own events for Russian athletes and teams while provisionally lifting its suspension since October 2023 of the Russian Olympic Committee.
The terms of that suspension — imposed when the Russian Olympic body incorporated regional sports councils from occupied regions of Ukraine — no longer applied, the IOC said.
Just 32 athletes from Russia and Belarus competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics as approved neutrals, and combined to win five medals. The Russian team had more than 300 athletes at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and won 71 medals.
The IOC did not yet approve letting Russian athletes and teams compete with their flag and anthem. That decision will come "at an appropriate time," it said.
The next Olympic competition is the 2026 Youth Summer Games in Dakar, Senegal opening Oct. 31.
The IOC said to "address the lack of confidence in the global sporting community relating to the return of Russian athletes to international competition," those athletes must give multiple doping controls and be part of a recognized testing program.
The IOC said it will continue to "not organize IOC events in Russia or invite Russian government or state officials to its events."
Read the full story at Al Jazeera ↗ · NPR ↗
The International Olympic Committee has advised sports bodies to end its three-year verification program for Russian athletes competing as neutrals ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Games. The IOC provisionally lifted Russia's Olympic Committee suspension, which had been in place since October 2023 after the Russian body incorporated sports councils from occupied Ukrainian regions. The terms of that suspension no longer apply, the IOC stated. Russian and Belarusian athletes may now compete internationally with neutral status, though the IOC has not yet authorized them to compete under their national flags or anthems, saying that decision will come at an appropriate time. Athletes from both countries will be subject to enhanced doping controls and recognized testing programs. The IOC reaffirmed it will not organize events in Russia or invite Russian government officials to its events.
Read the full story at Al Jazeera ↗ · NPR ↗
International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry speaks at the SwissTech Convention Center, in Lausanne, Switzerland, on June 24. Cyril Zingaro/Keystone via AP hide caption
toggle caption
Cyril Zingaro/Keystone via AP
LAUSANNE, Switzerland — The IOC advised Olympic sports bodies on Tuesday to end a three-year program vetting Russians for neutral status ahead of qualifying events for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The move was expected since the International Olympic Committee advised two months ago that athletes from Belarus, Russia's military ally in the full military invasion of Ukraine, should be allowed again to compete with their full national identity.
"The IOC 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 Olympic body said in a statement after a meeting of its executive board.
The IOC eased entry requirements to its own events for Russian athletes and teams while provisionally lifting its suspension since October 2023 of the Russian Olympic Committee.
The terms of that suspension — imposed when the Russian Olympic body incorporated regional sports councils from occupied regions of Ukraine — no longer applied, the IOC said.
Just 32 athletes from Russia and Belarus competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics as approved neutrals, and combined to win five medals. The Russian team had more than 300 athletes at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and won 71 medals.
The IOC did not yet approve letting Russian athletes and teams compete with their flag and anthem. That decision will come "at an appropriate time," it said.
The next Olympic competition is the 2026 Youth Summer Games in Dakar, Senegal opening Oct. 31.
The IOC said to "address the lack of confidence in the global sporting community relating to the return of Russian athletes to international competition," those athletes must give multiple doping controls and be part of a recognized testing program.
The IOC said it will continue to "not organize IOC events in Russia or invite Russian government or state officials to its events."
Read the full story at Al Jazeera ↗ · NPR ↗
The IOC advised Olympic sports bodies on Tuesday to end a three-year program vetting Russians for neutral status ahead of qualifying events for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics The IOC provisionally lifted its suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee, which had been imposed in October 2023 when the Russian Olympic body incorporated regional sports councils from occupied regions of Ukraine The IOC stated the terms of the suspension no longer applied Russian and Belarusian athletes may compete with neutral status ahead of the 2028 Games The IOC has not yet approved Russian athletes competing with their national flag and anthem; that decision will come at an appropriate time Russian and Belarusian athletes must undergo multiple doping controls and be part of a recognized testing program to return to international competition The IOC said this enhanced testing addresses a lack of confidence in the global sporting community regarding Russian athletes' return Only 32 Russian and Belarusian athletes competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics compared to over 300 Russian athletes at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics The IOC stated it stands in solidarity with the Olympic community of Ukraine and will continue to support it
Read the full story at Al Jazeera ↗ · NPR ↗
- IOC advised Olympic sports bodies to end a three-year Russian athlete vetting program ahead of the 2028 LA Olympics
- Russia's Olympic Committee suspension, imposed in October 2023, is being provisionally lifted; the terms no longer apply according to the IOC
- Russian and Belarusian athletes may compete as neutrals, but cannot yet use their national flags or anthems; that decision is pending
- Enhanced doping controls will be required for Russian athletes returning to international competition
- Only 32 Russian and Belarusian athletes competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics, compared to over 300 Russian athletes at Tokyo 2021