Russians are poised to compete at the LA 2028 Games as IOC lifts ban

Tuesday 07 July 2026 4:08 pm

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - AUGUST 05: Sergei Tetiukhin of Russia carries the flag during the Opening Ceremony of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at Maracana Stadium on August 5, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Russians are poised to compete at the LA 2028 Games after the International Olympic Committee lifted its ban on the Russian Olympic Committee.The Russian Olympic Committee had been banned since October 2023, following the invasion of Ukraine, but the International Olympic Committee now argues that the ROC “no longer includes as its members any regional sports organisations in territories falling under the jurisdiction of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine”.The Russian committee said it would not organise sports events on Ukrainian territory, while the current Individual Neutral Athlete regime – where independently verified athletes not funded by the Kremlin could compete – is now no longer necessary.World Aquatics was the first to lift its neutrality restrictions while the governing bodies of table tennis, climbing, judo and taekwondo have restored the status for Russians.It comes two months after the International Olympic Committee dropped recommendations to restrict Belarusian athletes’ participation, despite the European nation being seen as being in cahoots with Vladimir Putin on his objectives in a sovereign Ukraine.The IOC stressed that it is still “strongly condemning” the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.Russia back in the fold?“The IOC recognises that an athlete’s participation in international competition should not be limited by the involvement of their government in a war or conflict,” it said.It added: “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.”The International Paralympic Committee fully restored Russian athlete status, including with the Russian flag, uniform and anthem, ahead of the Milano Cortina Olympic Games earlier this year.It led to host nation Italy and its Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni issuing their “absolute opposition” to the move“Russia’s continued violation of the truce and Olympic and Paralympic ideals, supported by Belarus, is incompatible with the participation of their athletes in the Games, except as neutral individual athletes,” the government said.