The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has provisionally lifted the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee, setting the scene for their return at the 2028 Summer Olympics at Los Angeles.
“The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board (EB) has provisionally lifted the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) that had been in effect since 12 October 2023,” the IOS said in a statement. “The decision was taken following a thorough analysis by the IOC’s Legal Affairs Commission, considering that the ROC no longer includes as its members any regional sports organisations in territories falling under the jurisdiction of the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Ukraine. In addition, the ROC confirmed that it does not, and will not, conduct any activities in these territories.”
“The IOC EB will continue to closely monitor the situation relating to any ROC activities in those territories, and reserves the right to take any further measures if deemed necessary,” it explained.
IOC President Kirsty Coventry said, as per NBC News, that the move ensures “all athletes have the possibility to compete at the Olympic Games and not be held responsible for their governments’ actions, and I believe that this is what this decision speaks to. It allows for Russian athletes to take part in sport competitions, but we’ve also been very clear that we do not condone any violence and war around the world, and we will continue with that stance.”
According to the report, beginning in March 2023, the IOC recommended that athletes from Russia could return to the competition if they do not actively support the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Select athletes from Russia and Belarus competed as neutral athletes at the 2024 Paris Olympics and the 2026 Milano Cortina games.
The shift is the most recent policy change from the IOC. Earlier this year, the Committee announced that it officially adopted a policy protecting women’s competitions, banning the inclusion of biological men.
